We closed the year with a show to remember!

1. THE SCIENCE OF SWEARING

Nearly everyone swears—in pain, anger, joy, or most relevantly, inebriation. Cognitive scientists have begun to look under the hood of profanity and the results are remarkable. How can stroke patients who are left otherwise speechless still swear fluently? Why do words like “zounds” or, more recently, “sucks” that were once taboo eventually lose their sting? What is it about Tourette Syndrome that can lead to the uncontrollable production of taboo words? In this talk, Dr. Ben Bergen showed how the cognitive science of profanity opens a new window onto how our brains process language. Also, there was a lot of swearing.
Dr. Bergen is a professor of Cognitive Science at UCSD. He wrote the book “What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves” … but don’t think less of him for it.

 

2. THE PRACTICE OF BEING COMFORTABLE WITH THE UNCOMFORTABLE 

Every one of us is uncomfortable with something. What if you addressed what makes you uncomfortable, head on? On a consistent basis? This was a story of what happened.

San Diegan born and raised, Beck Bamberger graduated from UCLA in two years, then became the University of Pittsburgh’s youngest MBA graduate at 21. Beck started BAM Communications, a full service tech PR firm, while working as a TV host in San Diego. After winning an Emmy in 2011 for her TV work, she focused entirely on her entrepreneurial interests, growing BAM while starting Bite (San Diego’s top-rated and largest food tour company).

 

3. NO MICS: THE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF OPERATIC SINGING

How do opera singers produce those incredible sounds? Why can’t pop singers keep up? Do you have to be rotund to be a great performer? As a year-end treat, two local opera singers explained and demonstrated their skills. Bravi!

Alvin Almazan is a tenor with San Diego Opera’s Opera Exposed young artist and education outreach program, and has also performed as a soloist and chorister. His most recent roles have been in La Traviata with Capitol Opera, La Boheme with Capitol Opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Lilith (premiering the role in its staged form) at the IDEAS Workshop at UCSD, and Queen of Carthage, an adaptation of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with San Diego City Opera. Caitlin Tuttle is a charming operatic soprano, and Alvin’s voice coach.