When we plan Nerd Nite, we look for variety. Something a little science, something a little arts, and something way out of left field. Your obsessive nerd bosses have delivered this month. Join us for the 44th ever Nerd Nite Edmonton, when you’ll learn something about kettlebells, the economy, and gluten-free vegan cooking!
You know when people say, “I want to have it all”? Well, mission accomplished, nerds.
Nerd Nite: It’s like the Discovery Channel, but with beer!
When: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 (doors @ 7:30pm | show @ 8pm)
Where: Westbury Theatre, ATB Financial Arts Barns (10330 84 Ave NW)
Tickets: $20 in advance — AVAILABLE NOW
Our line-up of talks includes:
When economics makes weather forecasting look good
Nick Ford
Maybe President Donald Trump is right: fake news is real! Whether you want to believe it or not, a lot of our news is adjusted for reality and that means fake news. In fact, plenty of important data that economists and policy makers use tell us that conditions in the winter are the same as summer months. See? Fake news!
Join economist Nick Ford as he peels back the seasonal adjustments of some data types. He’ll show through analysis that seasonally adjusting numbers results in ambiguity and confusion about facts. Nick will also show that by only selecting and reporting seasonally adjusted data, we actually encourage consumer complacency. Even worse, that this can lead to loss of culture. At the end of the presentation, you’ll learn a few ways the we can not just build a better winter city, but a warmer, livelier local economy, too.
Nick Ford is an economist at ATB Financial. It’s his job to research, track, present and report on economic indicators and trends that impact Albertans. Nick provides macroeconomic monitoring and analysis, is a regular contributor of ATB Financial’s daily economic comment, The Owl. He also hosts ATB’s We Are Alberta Podcast.
Nick is proud to sit on the Nuit Blanche Edmonton board and previously served on his community league board. Before crunching numbers and telling stories, Nick worked in anti-money laundering and as a customer service representative at a bank that’s not as cool as ATB. Other jobs Nick has had include serving up fries and burgers as a line cook and fitting cleats as a salesperson at a soccer (or as his Liverpudlian dad calls it: football) store in Edmonton. Nick is a native Edmontonian and holds a BA in Economics from the University of Alberta.
Finding your way to a healthier life in the sordid world of fitness and exercise
Mike Chomitsch
“I’ve got to start exercising and get healthier” is a familiar lament among all of us… But it can be easier said than done. The fitness industry itself, as well as mainstream and social media, have distorted the notion of health and have made this idea unpalatable for many. In fact, a large part of the industry cares far more about profit than it does health. Spewing myths, the industry focuses on misguided goals, familiar pain points (losing weight, sculpting your body) to make money, and takes advantage of our noble intentions to stuff its pockets with hoards of cash while delivering little in return. But worry not, friends! Mike Chomitsch, gym owner and industry curmudgeon, will help you find your way! His talk will help you get started, enjoy your journey and keep at it as you move towards a healthier, happier life. Along the way, and with much humour, he will debunk common myths, expose industry secrets, and poke fun at the sordid industry he has been a part of for nearly a decade.
Mike Chomitsch is the owner and operator of Ritual Conditioning, a small gym that focuses on calisthenics, kettlebells and community. A reformed big-box gym-goer, he found a different method to exercise, one that was enjoyable, effective and sustainable. It also meant he didn’t have to spend time in a big-box gym anymore, much to his delight. For the past decade, he has helped people get stronger and healthier while enjoying their fitness experience by providing a safe environment, effective exercise and large amount of humour. In the meantime, and from a happily safe distance, he was able to watch his industry and ruminate on how it works and how he and his wonderful coaches have done it differently. For more on his gym, visit www.ritualconditioning.com.
Need a Hand in the Kitchen? I GOT ONE!
Alexis Hillyard
I was born without my left hand, and people always wonder how or if I can do [insert random task here]. This nerd nite talk will take you on a stumptastic food adventure, exploring the whimsical one-handed cooking techniques that I use in my weekly YouTube series, Stump Kitchen. I’ll talk about WHY I have one hand, WHAT I do with one hand, and WHO having one hand has let me be. And of course I’ll throw some nerdy amputee stats and vegan cooking info in there too!
Alexis Hillyard is a YouTube Creator, self-taught vegan chef, and entrepreneur. Born without her left hand, Alexis uses her stump as a kitchen tool — from spatula to juicer — while expanding the vocabulary of what’s possible in the kitchen each week on her show Stump Kitchen. Stump Kitchen is a YouTube series that celebrates body diversity, gluten-free vegan cooking, and the amazing, unique ways we move through the world. In 2016, Stump Kitchen won Best Food Blog in VUE Magazine’s Best of Edmonton. In 2017 Alexis was named the first Canadian Ambassador to the Lucky Fin Project, an organization dedicated to limb difference awareness, education, and celebration.