I will be leaving for Los Angeles in a couple of days to attend the Free Inquiry subscriber's conference. It has an impressive line up of speakers and some entertainment. Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, James Randi, Eugenie Scott, Paul Kurtz, Lawrence Krauss, and Victor Stenger represent a partial list of speakers that will make this a stimulating and enjoyable conference. Their areas of expertise cover a wide spectrum of thought from genetics to neuroscience, physics, biology, philosophy, science advocacy, etc. etc. I am sure I will have a great deal to talk about when I return.

This conference comes at a time when I can use an infusion of reason and rationality and the opportunity to be amongst people with a passion for freethought and a love of science. I say that "I can use an infusion" because every day events worldwide and here locally can be somewhat draining for those of us who stay fairly well informed.

For example, as I began to read the morning paper yesterday I gave a groaning sigh of disdain for the remarks by LDS authority Boyd Packer about gays being impure and unnatural. Quite sad and hurtful, and an indication of how ill informed and basically uncaring these people can be. It also challenges the ideal we have to be civil, as I for one find little to respect and much to denigrate. Add to that the news that the Texas School Board not only wants to remove Thomas Jefferson from textbooks but they now want to "de-emphasize Islam" in the textbooks. Sigh. So you can see why I am looking forward to the conference.

I hope that you are enjoying the fall weather as much as I am. I love the colors and the cooler temperatures and any moisture we get is welcome here on the edge of the desert. Also, with the cooler temperatures I'm willing to get my cookie mill cranked up for all the cookie monsters who keep asking me when I am going to bake again. Anyway, I hope to see you at our American Founders Day on October 14th, when our speaker Peter McNamara will inform us about Thomas Jefferson.

--Robert Lane
President, HoU