'Origins of Rights'
Talad Asad, distinguished professor of religion at the City University of New York Graduate Center, will deliver a lecture on "Reflections on the Origins of Human Rights" from 5-6:30 p.m. Monday at Hyde Hall, University Room, UNC Campus, Chapel Hill.
This event is sponsored by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities. Call (919) 843-2654 for information.
Global climate change
This lecture on environmental issues will be given by James E. Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, one of the first scientists to raise concerns about climate change and is now recognized as a leading worldwide expert on the topic.
The lecture will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Memorial Hall, UNC Campus, Chapel Hill.
Hansen is the Frey Foundation Distinguished Visiting Professor in UNC's College of Arts And Sciences. A reception follows the lecture, at which Hansen will sign copies of his new book, "Storms of My Grandchildren."
Call (919) 843-6339 for details.
UNC women's hoops
Florida State takes on UNC at 7 p.m. Monday at Carmichael Auditorium, South Road, Chapel Hill.
Tickets are $10. Call (919) 962-2296 or go to www.tarheelblue.com to learn more.
Blues jam
Performance at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Blue Bayou Club, 106 S. Churton St., Hillsborough.
Call (919) 732-2555 or click on http://bluebayouclub.com/ for more information.
Triangle Jazz Orchestra
If you've ever walked into The ArtsCenter on a Wednesday night you've heard an awesome 17-piece band rehearsing in the Earl & Rhoda Wynn Theater. They're the Triangle Jazz Orchestra, now opening rehearsals for free on the first Wednesday of each month to listeners and swing dancers alike.
The orchestra plays Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, as well as more recent jazz and blues tunes.
Rehearsal is from 7:45 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at The ArtsCenter, 300-G East Main St., Carrboro.
Call (919) 929-2787 or click on http://www.artscenterlive.org/ to get further details.
Dead Sea Scrolls
Jodi Magness, Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in the department of religious studies at UNC, will deliver "The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls," a slide-illustrated lecture about the site of Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea and discuss the importance of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in caves in that area in 1947.
The lecture will be from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday at George Watts Hill Alumni Center, Royall Room, Chapel Hill.
Admission is $15 ($5 for GAA members). Call (919) 843-5115 for information.
Open mic
Hillsborough's Weaver Street Market showcases live, local music from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at 228 S. Churton St.
Skeedaddle will perform for free in the market's Lilac Lounge.
Call (919) 245-5050 or go to www.weaverstreetmarket.coop for more details.
Gala Auction Event
More than 100 locals have taken time out of their lives to paint an original piece of art for Art From the Heart Gala Auction Event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Chapel Hill Museum, 523 E Franklin St., Chapel Hill.
The art will be auctioned off to benefit Kidzu Children's Museum and the Chapel Hill Museum. The bidding starts now and ends at the final auction event. All the pieces are displayed online: http://www.chapelhillmuseum.org/
Tickets $30 single/$50 pair. Call (919) 967-1400.
Opening reception
This reception, from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Sonja Haynes Stone Center, Robert & Sallie Brown Gallery and Museum, Chapel Hill, marks the opening of the exhibition "La Sombra y el Espiritu: Womens' Healing Rituals in the Diaspora."
The exhibition, on display through April 30, highlights women in spiritual practice through new work by Atlanta-based photographer Wendy Phillips and paintings by Lucia Mendez from the Dominican Republic.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday-Friday. Call (919) 962-9001.
Current Science Forum
"Aftershocks: The Science of Earthquakes," will be presented by Lara Wagner, UNC assistant professor of seismology, at 7 p.m. Thursday at Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, 250 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill.
What happened in Haiti? Did we know the earthquake was coming? Can seismologists predict the next big earthquake? Dr. Wagner will answer these questions and more as we examine this natural disaster and discuss earthquakes and risk management. Current Science Forums are free educational programs, planned specifically for adults with a roundtable discussion following the presentation. Coffee or tea and cookies are provided.
Click on www.moreheadplanetarium.org for additional details.
Comedy Arts Festival
The 10th Annual N.C. Comedy Arts Festival is the largest event of its type in the South featuring sketch comedy, stand-up, improv and film & video. The lineup is:
n Sketch comedy: Thursday-Saturday
n Stand-up: Feb. 11-14
n Improv: Feb. 16-21
n Film video: Feb. 25-27
Visit http://www.nccomedyarts.com/ for ticket, times and location information for specific shows as performances are held at six venues in Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Call (919) 338-8150.
Concert
The North Carolina Symphony presents Fire and Ice at 8 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Hall, Cameron Ave, UNC Campus.
Selections include Sibelius: Finlandia Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 and Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3.
William Henry Curry is resident conductor and Yuja Wang is the featured pianist.
Call (9191) 733-2750 or go to www.ncsymphony.org for tickets.
