Dispatches from the Culture Wars

As all the new folks settle in, I want to draw particular attention to a few of them. This should not be taken as a comment on any blogs I don't mention, but merely as a boost to the ones I've already been a fan of in their previous homes or have some connection with. The others I am eager to get to know as well. The first one that jumps out is The Loom, the blog of Carl Zimmer. I was excited the moment I heard that Carl would be joining us here because, simply put, he is the best science journalist in the nation. Hands down. I'm not sure there's even a close second. The rest of us are treading the path he laid down and trying to do it even half as well. He will be a tremendous addition to the team here.

EvolutionBlog is the home of Jason Rosenhouse, a fellow Panda's Thumb contributor. He actually moved his blog over here a few weeks ago as the first of the "second wave" of bloggers. Evolving Thoughts is the blog of John Wilkins, also a Panda's Thumb contributor and one of those amusing Aussies. He brings us another philosopher of science. The Questionable Authority belongs to another PTer, Mike Dunford. And then there's Mike the Mad Biologist, who has sometimes commented at my site and has long had a terrific blog. Another interesting one is The Scientific Activist, Nick Anthis. Nick got a great deal of attention a few months ago by outing that little pissant at NASA who was telling all the scientists there what they can and can't say. Nick tracked down the fact that the guy didn't have a degree from Texas as he claimed to have and he ended up having to resign. Oh, and you know how sometimes people like to point out that someone else isn't very bright by saying something like, "He ain't exactly a Rhodes scholar"? Well, Nick actually is a Rhodes scholar.

Welcome to all these folks and to all the other new bloggers as well. I look forward to getting to know all of them and enjoying their work and I hope all my readers go exploring and get to know them as well.