I'll add to JD's and Bruce's info...the Maryland Science and Skepticism Meet-up Group have a very informal monthly meeting every third Thursday at TGIFriday's in Columbia. Dinner, drinks and light conversation.

http://www.meetup.com/The-Maryland-Science-Skepticism-Meetup-Group/

Tim Kugel

For Mike Smith in Baltimore

Skepticism is alive and well here. As J.D. pointed out we have a nice Drinking Skeptically once a month and many of us are active with NCAS and the Center For Inquiry in DC. We are also getting ready to start planning the next Skepticamp (the last was held at UMD College Park)
Many of us will be at NECSS and also TAM, but the Blue Agave is a great place to meet up with us.

http://www.meetup.com/CFI-DC-Drinking-Skeptically-Baltimore/

Bruce Press

For Nick,

I have a cat also. I got him in June, and I love him so much. December, I took him to the vet's because of a bald spot he had developed, and they wanted to sedate him with an IV. They missed the vein twice. I suffered through hearing Tang cry becuase of the needle, because I thought I should trust him, because he's the expert. When they wanted to try a 3rd time, I finally said No. I couldn't handle listent o Tang cry like that any more. Wahtever this wasn, it was most likely superficial, and not a threat to his health, so I couldn't justify the agony for him any more.

See, the moral of my story is, if you don't have children, pets are your children. They are the children that will never grow up and leave the house. So you will always be their "parent" Not in the Geo's Mom way, but in the small child way. This makes the attatchment, IMHO, that much more powerful, and devistating when it ends. Like Devotchka said, I already know how this will end. But, like Geo said, spending time with Tang is worth the eventual demise of the Earth.

So, either you are completely normal, or I'm just as crazy as you. So, either wecome to the cub, or QUIT HOGGIN ALL THE CRAZY!

Profound thoughts on passing of the pets. I agree with your points and I came up with one point which you did not mention. Responsibility. When you have a pet, you are the perhaps the sole caregiver and in every way the well being of your pet is up to you. When you think about your pet being in great distress, hurt, maybe even dying, you also get the feeling that you have broken the trust of your pet. Even though you wouldn't have broken the trust, but that's how you feel when you think of it in advance. When things are happening, then you might again be able to be more rational about letting down your pet. Still the bond of responsibility combined to the love is very strong. With your parents or friends for example, you are not in the similar responsibility. With human relationships this similar kind of responsibility comes with having your own children. Whilst comparing children and pets feels bit awkward to me, many people do think their pets as their "children".

I have two sons and Nick's description of feelings was very accurate on how I feel when I think about them getting hurt.

Ps. waiting for your visit in Finland, I hope I can make it to Helsinki!

Regarding the skeptic in Baltimore looking for local activities - he should know about the Baltimore Drinking Skeptically held every 3rd Thursday at the Blue Agave. Search for "Drinking Skeptically Baltimore" on Facebook for more info. Also, I'll throw out another recommendation for the National Capital Area Skeptics - www.ncas.org.

This might be a bit far from Baltimore but NCAS meets up in the dc area.

I am vindicated! Thank you, Stuart.

love,
Ms. Info

Great show. Positively overflowing with deviltry.

About that disapointed listener , i demand you give him a complete refund.

Otter. Not beaver :)

I assume that by monkeys and beavers you meant chimps and otters.

I think it is a little quixotic to play scrabble with no two letter words. Two letter words are allowed in standard scrabble rules. There are only a couple of dozen usable two letter words.

Helsinki is not in Scandinavia it's in Fennoscandia.