Go on a wild ride of self exploration, take a clandestine vacation to the CIA, and redefine your relationship to technology at our December Nerd Nite Orlando event!

Nerd Nite Orlando is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking talks across many disciplines – all while the audience drinks along in a casual bar atmosphere. 3 speakers will present for 20-25 minutes each on a fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and unconventional way.

It’s like the Discovery Channel – with beer! Come meet up, drink, and learn something new!

EVENT:

Thursday, December 12th, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Stardust Video and Coffee, 1842 E. Winter Park Rd. Winter Park, FL 32803.
Facebook Event <–be sure to RSVP!

FREE!

PRESENTATIONS:

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“Ayahuasca: Out of My Mind” by Eddie Selover

“Aya-hoo-a-what-now?” Also called “yage” (yaw-geh) by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, Ayahuasca is an ancient and very potent brew of shrubs and vines which unleashes the mind-bending hallucinogen DMT (dimethyltryptamine if you’re so inclined), believed by many to induce a spiritual awakening. When Eddie Selover drank this concoction, he felt as though he’d gone out of his mind—in a good way! It was the final step in an existential journey into the deepest realms of consciousness. Along the way there, he met superheroes, Peruvian shamans, some guy named Ted, YouTube celebrities, and a man who looked vaguely familiar. Let Eddie take you on a wild ride of self exploration, complete with a beguiling spirit goddess, dune buggies, and barbed wire!

Eddie Selover is a marketing professional based in Orlando. Several times a year, he brings an eclectic mix of the city’s most interesting people together, as the organizer and host of PechaKucha Orlando. Eddie is also an award-winning public speaker who has spoken at such events as TEDxOrlando. A lifelong film buff and scholar, he also writes about film for publications such as Bright Lights Film Journal and Edward Copeland on Film as well as his own blog, eddieselover.com.

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“Cold War Coronas: A Clandestine Vacation” by Philip Chien

Are you a fan of Corona? No, not the beer! We mean Cold War era Corona spy satellites, of course! The ones that compelled the CIA to create some of the most secretive security orders in U.S. history (at least that we know of!). Join us for a trip with Philip Chien, who will guide us through a behind the scenes look at CIA Headquarters and the famous “Corona Project.”

Philip Chien is an engineer by training and space writer by profession. He has been writing about geek topics professionally since 1982, including the 1996 Popular Mechanics article “How We Spy on the World.” As a true geek, Philip is the proud owner of an original Apple II computer built in Steve Job’s garage (serial number 1041).

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“Google Glass: Redefining Our Relationship to Technology” by Jen Vargas

Ever seen a group of friends staring at their phones instead of interacting? Or tried to get someone’s attention while they’re checking their email? Google Glass is an attempt to merge the outside world with our addiction to technology. As a Heads-Up device, it keeps people connected to the information and recording functionality they crave, while still allowing for social interaction. What does it actually do, though? What about privacy concerns? And what the heck are #GlassExplorers and #Glass4good? Get the answers to these questions and more during this exciting talk! You’ve heard the hype, now come discover the facts! (Personal, one on one demonstrations to follow talk.)

Jen Vargas is a film and tv producer as well a social media expert. Currently, she co-produces “Indie Cinema Showcase,” a tv program about the filmmaking community in Florida, alongside Emmy Winner® Gerald Godbout. In her spare time, Jen lovingly produces and edits video for an award winning local events blog called “Central Florida Top 5.” She also spearheads “#Glass4good,” a movement designed to highlight the positive qualities of the Central Florida community through the use of Google Glass.