nerdnite nyc.

Nerd Nite NYC
Angels & Kings
500 East 11th St. (between Aves. A and B)
Thursday January 10, 2008 at 7:00pm
Free Admission though there’s a 2-drink minimum

*Presentation #1:
Wake Me Up Before You Van Gogh Gogh
By Erin Thompson

Description: Ever think "I could paint that - and then sell it for millions of dollars!"? If so, Erin Thompson will show you how to make money and take revenge on an unappreciative art world by becoming an art forger. You'll follow in the footsteps of Michelangelo by faking the effects of aging, surpass Van Meegeren in taking advantage of credulous collectors, and realize along with the Italian forgers of Etruscan antiquities that it's always best to fake what you know. You'll also learn about forgery detection techniques to beware of, including dendrochronology, termoluminesence, and even fractal analysis. Plus, a chance to win prizes by playing "Guess the Fake!"

Bio: Erin is a graduate student at Columbia, where she is finishing an art history dissertation that will finally prove, once and for all, that the ancient Greeks considered pictures of poop, animals having sex, and drunkards throwing up just as hilarious as does the average modern 12 year old. She is also a first year student at Columbia Law School; upon graduation she hopes to fulfil a life-long dream of becoming Harriet the Spy by tracking down promoters of the illicit trade in antiquities. Erin is from Tucson, AZ, although she seldom returns after having been ostracized by her family for repeatedly refusing to watch "Pirates of the Carribean."

Presentation #2:
Chinese Medicine and Geomancy
By Christopher Morin

Description: With premises developed over thousands of years very different to those conceived in the West, the traditional Chinese sciences found a unique way of explaining the universe in which everything is interdependent. These ideas have been applied to all aspects of life, from warfare, to medicine, to sex, to politics, and to the most essential human questions. This presentation will also include a bit about Feng Shui practices as well as which New York streets and avenues are slowly killing you. Stay tuned!

Bio: Christopher Morin is a psychology student at City College. He has blond hair and blue eyes and no tattoos. He was thinking about joining the Army but, decided instead to stick around and give this talk despite the super-sweet enlistment bonus.