Sarasota Science, History, and Current Event Book Club

Discuss the latest issue or bring a past article of any major or popular SCIENCE magazine: Smithsonian, Scientific American, Skeptical Inquirer, Popular Mechanics, National Geographic, Wired, Popular Science, New Scientist, Astronomy, Smithsonian, Discover, etc. Either bring a favorite past article that you have or discuss a current issue from any popular science magazine. I would like to avoid an industry specific journal, like NEJM, for example, that is NOT an off-the-shelf product. Why and what do you like about the magazine? What and why do you like this particular article or topic? Which magazines do you read? Why? Which ones do you avoid? Why? What is the future of science? Of magazines? Of print journalism? Why is the US lagging in science education? What can be done? Is the nation of big, bad and bold becoming a nation of idiots? Can we still lead the free world in science achievements? Will India usurp US with 10 times as many engineering degrees?

THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH Since the advent of nuclear weapons, American deterrence has been based on the notion that only adversarial nations with nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to the country’s security. In “The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age,” David Sanger argues that an additional existential threat now confronts America because we live in a world in which virtually everything we rely on — whether computers, phones, transportation, electrical power grids, water supplies or global navigation and communications satellites — is interconnected in cyberspace. Meeting Places: Yuniku, Panera (at 7 PM), Captain Brian’s, IHOP, Perkins, Alternate monthly at Barnes & Noble, Sarasota,[masked] Christie, 6 PM, call in advance Meetup Fee: currently $15 per month, but will clean out inactive deadwood members. Will discuss an annual $10 fee, depending on active membership.