Greg Laden is an independent scholar, writer and blogger. “I have a very fancy PhD from Harvard (written in Latin and everything) in Archeology and Biological Anthropology, as well as a Master’s Degree in the same subjects (also from Harvard),” he writes. “I was awarded a Medical Doctorate, but that turned out to be a clerical error and it was quickly revoked, much to the annoyance of my patients….”
Laden has done many years of fieldwork in Africa, mainly in the Congo and South Africa. He has divided his field research interests between working with the Efe (Pygmy) Hunter-Gatherers of the Ituri Rain Forest and working on specific questions of the transition from a chimpanzee-like ancestor to modern humans. He is currently working on a study of rodent diet and morphology as a means of understanding shifts in early human ancestral diets.
Laden blogs at Scienceblogs.com and QuicheMoraine.com, and guest blogs on various other sites. He writes about science (especially evolution, human evolution and general biology), the evolution-creationism “debate,” and politics (especially the politics of religion and atheism).
Laden was born in upstate New York and lived in Boston, Milwaukee and the Congo prior to moving to the Twin Cities about 10 years ago. ◙

If a god exists that is all-powerful and all-loving, then why is there evil in the world – particularly natural evils such as genetic and acquired diseases, birth defects, predators, and natural disasters?

August Berkshire, Minnesota’s leading ‘Friendly Atheist’, has spent the past 25 years discussing these issues with religious people and has compiled a list of their top 15 responses. Come judge for yourself if these explanations hold water, or if they are 15 more holes in the boat of religion.
August is a past member of the Humanists of Minnesota board of directors, a past president of Minnesota Atheists, and a past vice president of Atheist Alliance International. He was the recipient of our 2009 Outstanding Humanist award. His website is: AugustBerkshire.com.

The Fall highway cleanup will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 10. We meet at the gas station located in the southeast corner at the intersection of Interstate 35W and Highway 23 (right turn from 35W northbound). This is the last exit on 35W going north before it joins 35E, and is about nine miles north of 35W and I-694. I will bring the trash bags and orange vests, so all you need is appropriate clothing and shoes and possibly sunscreen and insect repellent. We are usually finished by noon and most of us get together for lunch and good conversation at a nearby restaurant.
A big turnout means we finish sooner and have more chance to socialize, so I hope many of you will be able to join us. This is a great opportunity to show Humanists at work on behalf of the community. If you have questions, call me at (952) 927-4193 or email me at dbeardsley@belleplaine. k12.mn.us.
David Beardsley

This is the final picnic of the '09 summer by and for the MN Freethought community. This one sponsored by MN Atheists but there of folks from HofM, CASH, AHR etc. Shelter is reserved from 10 am -3pm but most folks come around noon.

Lots of friendly people. (nearly 100 folks showed up at the July picnic!)
A play area for the kids.
Lively discussions for the adults.
Bring games, instruments etc.

Bring some picnic food to share. The shelter area has electricity, sink and electric hot plate. (Don’t forget to bring your own beverage, plate and utensils. BYO stuff)

Directions to picnic site:

Take Central Ave NE (MN hwy 65) to Columbia Parkway between 36 ave and 37 ave (there is another access , so watch out!). Go west on Columbia Parkway about 1/3 mile until you pass under a RR bridge ... the picnic area is on the left! We are on the hill with the big shelter! You can park in the lot in front and walk up the hill or drive around to the back where there is a smaller parking lot.

Tim Bailey, president of the Humanists of Colorado, will be in town and is looking forward to having dinner with some local humanists and atheists. The Humanists of Minnesota be hosting a dinner for him this Wednesday, July 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant, 2027 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404. (http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/minnesota/bluenile.html and http://www.bluenilempls.com). Free parking is available on the street and in the lot across 21st Ave. S. This dinner is open to everyone.