Yes the big day is finally here … its the official start of TAM London today.
If you have no idea what the heck I’m on about, then check out the official web site here … as for the speaker lineup … its very very impressive and includes …
- Graham Linehan – television writer, actor and director who has written or co-written popular television comedies including Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd
- Richard Dawkins – former Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University
- Alan Moore – one of the most influential comic-book writers of all time and author of works including V for Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, Lost Girls and Watchmen
- James Randi – celebrated public speaker and the author of books including The Faith Healers and Flim-Flam!, Randi continues his activism through The James Randi Educational Foundation. Set up to encourage critical thinking and highlight the consequences of accepting claims of the supernatural
- PZ Myers – An associate professor at the University of Minnesota Morris, he specialises in evolutionary and developmental biology in a world where creationism is gaining currency. An outspoken critic of the Intelligent Design movement, he works to fight its influence in schools and universities, and to inspire interest in science with his writing and research
- Cory Doctorow – Canadian blogger and science fiction author, co-editor of science and technology blog Boing Boing
- Stephen Fry – Known primarily for his extensive work as an actor, comedian, writer and presenter, the host of QI also has an inexhaustible curiosity and a passion for science and critical thinking
- Susan Blackmore – author, broadcaster and lecturer, Susan Blackmore is a believer-turned-skeptic and former parapsychologist. Her most famous book, The Meme Machine, expanded on the concept of the meme, the name of which was coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene
- D.J. Grothe – President of the James Randi Educational Foundation, the international educational non-profit founded by celebrated social critic and activist James Randi. Grothe has lectured widely on topics at the intersection of education, science and belief at universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Yale, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and dozens of others. Formerly a professional magician
- Robin Ince – finds absurdity in religion and pseudoscience and expresses his frustration through musings on quantum theory, letters to Ann Coulter, and tales of dead scientists. He frequently gathers like-minded comedians, musicians and living scientists for science-themed events such as Nine Lessons And Carols For Godless People and School For Gifted Children. Along with Professor Brian Cox, Ince co-hosts Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage
- Tim Minchin – Award-winning Australian comedian, pianist and actor Tim Minchin is best known for his songs on taboo subjects, taking on religious fundamentalists, medical quacks, and most recently of all the Pope. At TAM London he invites you to spend Saturday night with him at the premiere of Storm, the animated movie of the celebrated nine-minute beat poem in which Minchin takes on the dark forces of pseudoscience, alternative medicine and superstition
… and many many more … this is quite frankly a truly amazing meeting … hence the name, TAM (The Amazing Meeting).
Now, if you just happen to be a bit ticked off about not being there, then fret not, because Martin Robbins of the Guardian is doing a live blog of the event, so you can catch up on what is happening by clicking here …
If coming … fantastic, I’ll see you here … if not, enjoy the live blog, and tick the calendar to come next time.