ELECTRONIC SHADOW OF A DOUBT ... THE MONTHLY CALENDAR OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA SKEPTICS (NCAS) The April program for the National Capital Area Skeptics will be a presentation by Richard Dengrove on "The Rosicrucians: Our Secret Masters?" We have all seen magazine ads for the Rosicrucians. In the '50s, the ads appealed to reason by claiming Benjamin Franklin as a member. Now the appeal has changed and the ads instead talk about reincarnation and cosmic consciousness. Just who were, and who are, the Rosicrucians? At one time, the rulers of a powerful country proudly claimed to receive wisdom from the secret masters of this influential fraternity. Now, after a curious history of over three hundred years, the descendent members place ads in tabloids. What, exactly, do they promote? Mr. Dengrove will unveil the relationships between the Rosicrucians and other beliefs, including the esoteric preachings of Solar Temple (53 of whose members met their deaths last Fall). He will also offer the shocking admission of Rosicrucianism's first American promoter. CHEVY CHASE, MD, LIBRARY ... 8005 CONNECTICUT AVENUE 1 mile INSIDE the Beltway at MD exit 33 ... 1/4 mile north of East-West Highway. Please note a different time for this month only: 2:30 PM on Saturday, April 22, 1995. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, OF COURSE! About our April speaker... Richard Dengrove has been the Librarian for the Food and Consumer Service of the Department of Agriculture for 13 years, a job to which he progressed after serving four years as a Management Analyst. He holds a Masters Degree in Library Science from Kent State University and another in Sociology from Northeastern University. He has been a long-time member of NCAS and is also an avid member of two amateur press associations. He is working on both a novel and a history of the occult. * * * It's election time for the NCAS Board of Directors, and ballots are included with the hard Shadow going to NCAS members. It's not too early to express an interest for next year. Other than being in the DC area for occasional real meetings, the only qualifications needed are a belief that something can and should be done to promote more critical thinking, and a willingness to help do it. If you're new to NCAS projects, leave a message on our non-critical, non-thinking hotline at 301/587-3827 and we'll let you know what we've been up to. If you already know, join the fun and help us get involved in some mind- stretching stuff. * * * Speaking of advance planning, a conference announcement... The first conference devoted to a serious consideration of what should transpire in the initial formal meeting of humans and another cosmic culture, "When Cosmic Cultures Meet", will be held in Washington DC on May 27-29. There will be 25 presenters from around the world, including: Adigun Abe Abiodun, UN Office of Outer Space Affairs Richard Boylan, Academy of Clinical Close Encounter Therapists Keith Ferrell, Editor, OMNI magazine Jaime Maussan, journalist, 60 Minutes (of Mexico) George Robinson, Assistant General Counsel, Smithsonian Institution The conference will be held at the Sheraton Washington Hotel, 2660 Woodley Rd, NW, Washington DC. For more information call 703-534-8566 or write The Human Potential Foundation, PO Box 6, Falls Church, VA 22040-0006. There are other organizations to call if you think the conference is already too late. * * * The National Science Foundation needs you...[with special thanks to Shawn Carlson] The National Science Foundation (NSF) is sponsoring National Science and Technology Week from April 21-29, 1995, "Explore New Worlds through Science & Technology." As part of the celebration, NSF and the US Department of Education will offer an email address - AskNSTW@ericir.syr.edu - to which questions in mathematics, science and technology can be posted. They need people with interests in these areas to respond thoughtfully to posted questions. If you are willing to answer a few questions during any part of that week, please send a message to Susan Chase at NSF: schase@nsf.gov. Let her know the topics you are interested in and the number of questions you are able to entertain per day. Perhaps your electronic interaction with students will help stimulate a greater interest and help them realize that real science is not just dull rote memorization and regurgitation of facts. Let's help reveal to the community the wonders, excitement, and rigor of mathematics, science, and technology. * * * NCAS HOTLINE (301) 587-3827 ELECTRONIC BBS (703) 280-1446