…and this is a 
I must be famous now!
Category: Personal
Posted on: September 3, 2006 10:08 AM, by PZ Myers
At least, I'm in the Wikipedia. Nobody will ever be able to find it, though, because for some reason the author actually spelled my name correctly. I look forward to further additions, however, as the creationist strive to make the entry more complete by documenting my evil and my atrocities.
(No, I don't go fishing through Wikipedia and the internet looking for instances of my name—I was told about it in email. I'm vain enough to want to avoid having people think I'm that vain.)
Comments
Wow, you must be famous. He left out Midnight, though. I wonder what obscure detail or subtle wording the editors are going to fight over?
Posted by: Jonathan | September 3, 2006 10:19 AM
Well, I've started going after a few spelling and other errors, and somebody else has started cleaning up the text as well, but no sign that any IDiots are messing with the text.
Posted by: Apostrophe Avenger | September 3, 2006 10:36 AM
Looks like you finally made something of yourself! :)
Posted by: Castaa | September 3, 2006 10:38 AM
Is it not vainer to blog about it than to find it yourself and be pleased in private? I'm looking forward to seeing how long it takes for the fights to appear, though.
Posted by: wolfa | September 3, 2006 10:42 AM
Needs some work on the spelling/grammar front:
Cap: temple University.
Cap: prior to confirmation.
Sp: "Contaversy"
Sp: beseiging
Hmmmmmm.
Posted by: George | September 3, 2006 10:58 AM
PZ:
Any chance of donating a photograph to the cause, then?
(Note though that this means the photo will be licensed under one of those 'free' licenses, which may prevent you from selling your visage for big bucks, and may allow the IDers to photoshop you onto monkeys or whatever)
Posted by: FhnuZoag | September 3, 2006 11:18 AM
I was once in Wikipedia, but was deleted! So don't gloat too soon. That other Sean Carroll is sucking up all my oxygen.
Posted by: Sean Carroll | September 3, 2006 11:20 AM
Wikipedia has... uh... problems...
http://www.wikipedia-watch.org/usatoday.html
Posted by: Avidor | September 3, 2006 11:46 AM
Avidor, do you or don't you live in the Information Age like the rest of us? I thought any human who rubbed to brain cells together in front of a computer was aware that you never used just one Internet source for information about something, ESPECIALLY WIKIPEDIA.... And the more sensational the information presented, the harder one should look for alternative presentations. (That ought to be a Law. It's not quite Occam's Razor. "Speedwell's Whetstone?" lol...)
Posted by: speedwell | September 3, 2006 11:57 AM
Dang, PZ. I always hoped to meet you someday, and now I'm thinking if I don't do it soon, it's going to be like trying to get in to see Brad Pitt.
Posted by: Hank Fox | September 3, 2006 12:35 PM
I just made a few corrections as well. PZ could have all sorts of fun cross-referencing the IP addresses of Pharyngula commenters with those of the writers and editors of his Wiki entry.
Posted by: kemibe | September 3, 2006 12:39 PM
I've never read such idiotic trash as that wikipedia-watch site outside of denialist lit. It basically uses against wiki-ing all the problems that wikipedia itself freely admits to and is a constant work in progress in figuring out how to deal with and all seems to be an elaborate documentation of whining about himself and his flames with thirteen year olds over details in citing HIS OWN WEBSITE as a source. Madness.
Posted by: plunge | September 3, 2006 1:13 PM
Seems your mainline erstwhile biographer is Michael Zimmer, who other interests include Australia, Central Queensland, health, science, Norse Mythology, religion, government, games and anime. He is addicted to World of Warcraft.
Posted by: plunge | September 3, 2006 1:18 PM
Did some copyediting. I'm a proud WikiGnome.
I searched for you in the Wikipedia a while ago and was surprised to find that you didn't have an article but PYGMIES + DWARFS did.
Posted by: j | September 3, 2006 1:20 PM
Uh-oh! There'll be no stopping you now.
Next stop a multi-part TV show called Evo-Devo.
You'd better start practice saying "billyuns and billyuns of cells"
Posted by: Ian H Spedding FCD | September 3, 2006 1:33 PM
I'm actually a little amazed that the article didn't start out with "PZ Myers wants to use brass knuckles and steel toed boots on intelligent design advocates".
Being Wikipedia, though, I think it's just a matter of a few days before that happens.
Posted by: Dustin | September 3, 2006 2:18 PM
Hmmm, can I get into it and add variant spellings? Although that might need an article on its own. [I am an editor on Wikipedia, you know, hurrhurrhurr.]
Posted by: John Wilkins | September 3, 2006 7:59 PM
If you doubt this is possible, how is that there is a PYGMIES + DWARFS entry in wikipedia?
(However - it's being considered for deletion, so those of you who believe it belongs should perhaps act ... )
Posted by: llewelly | September 3, 2006 8:00 PM
If you're really an editor on Wikipedia, how can you allow the entry for John Wilkins to stand with such obvious inaccuracies? It says you died in 1672!
Unless...Zombie Wilkins!
Posted by: PZ Myers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 3, 2006 8:11 PM
huh, so you're a Pisces..that explains it.
Posted by: Kia D | September 3, 2006 10:03 PM
Those involved Wikipedia might consider editing The Panda's Thumb.
Is there any good freely availiable images of the structure that Gould made famous? One will be very useful for obvious reasons.
Posted by: Michael Hopkins | September 3, 2006 10:05 PM
The quotes section could use improvement. I nominate (one of my favorite PZ quotes):
Do me a favor. It's a big favor, and we need everyone to join in. Next time your brother, or your sister-in-law, or your grandmother, or some guy in the booth next to you at the coffeeshop, starts talking about the Rapture or the End Times or the Second Coming or whatever crap they want to call it, just stand up, turn to them, and say loudly and clearly so everyone around you can hear it,
YOU ARE A DEMENTED FUCKWIT.
Posted by: George | September 4, 2006 1:18 AM
Nothing to do with WP, but I thought a famous Minnesotan like you might be interested in these tidbits on Minnesota history.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8653600534957141018&q=11652
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4823773845728948753&q=owner%3Anara+type%3Aparks
It almost seems mythology today that the government could have worked like that. A Civilian Conservation Corps, who could imagine that?
You can find more historical videos here.
http://video.google.com/nara.html
Posted by: bernarda | September 4, 2006 3:18 AM
Many congrats, PZ! No mention of you as a former great (and missed) IIDBer though... nor as scourge of panadaptionists ;-).
Cheers, Oolon
Posted by: Oolon Colluphid | September 4, 2006 3:46 AM
You're going to be the next Richard Dawkins!
Where is your book?
Posted by: quantum | September 4, 2006 4:01 AM
What? No sabotages? But that was going to be the funnest part!
Posted by: valhar2000 | September 4, 2006 10:29 AM
Guess who has started editing your Wikipedia article? Jason!
Posted by: j | September 4, 2006 3:14 PM
Yup, Jinx McHue has been there all morning, editing away! Still there now, from the looks of it.
Getting his little Christian revenge for being disemvowelled here, I guess.
That little boy needs to get over his PZ obsession. His daddy issues are way fucked up.
Posted by: George Cauldron![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 4, 2006 3:22 PM
Ooh, here's one of Jinx's peevish little comments in the 'history' page there:
"There is no such thing as 'Intelligent Design creationism.' They are two different concepts."
He also seems to have added the 'demented fuckwit' comment. Poor little guy.
Posted by: George Cauldron![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 4, 2006 3:28 PM
Jsn can freely add any of my quotes he wants -- I said it, I support it, or I'll openly retract it.
I see Tony Sidaway's doing a little patching, too. Hi, Tony! Long time no chat!
Posted by: PZ Myers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 4, 2006 3:31 PM
Whoops, looks like Jinx isn't playing nice on Wikipedia in general!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jinxmchue
He earned this warning:
With regards to your comments on Talk:Democratic Underground: Please see Wikipedia's no personal attacks policy. "Do not make personal attacks anywhere in Wikipedia. Comment on content, not on the contributor. Personal attacks damage the community and deter users." Please keep this in mind while editing. Thanks. BenBurch 20:33, 30 June 2006 (UTC)
So he seems to be doing that same bitchy wingnut troll routine there, as well.
I'm sure Jesus is very pleased with him.
Posted by: George Cauldron![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 4, 2006 4:26 PM
My gsh, bt y'r n dt, Grg. D y vn knw wh Bn Brch s? D y vn knw th stry bhnd hs ct lttl ttmpt t plyng Wkgd?
Posted by: Jason | September 5, 2006 12:33 AM
I know that you're apparently an abrasive social retard at other websites than this one, Jinx.
Hey Jinxy, before PZ disemvowels you, wanna share (a) how old you think the earth is and (b) how literally you take the Old and New Testament? Have you worked enough courage to answer those questions, or are you still too much of a coward?
Posted by: George Cauldron![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 5, 2006 12:37 AM
I am not addicted to World of Warcraft - it's an aspiration. However, I have put gainful employment as a higher priority at the moment. (Which all my friends say is heresy).
Posted by: ZayZayEM | September 5, 2006 12:43 AM
Your Wikipedia webpage says --
As well as criticizing Intelligent Design creationism and other forms of pseudo-science, Pharyngula includes posts on a very broad variety of topics that interest Myers.
PZ,
Any statement as to whether ID should be associated with creationism or whether they should be considered to be "pseudosciences" should be reserved for the Wikipedia webpages on those subjects, where different viewpoints can be presented. You should try to avoid damaging Wikipedia's reputation for objectivity and impartiality. You should remember that you are just a guest on Wikipedia -- you don't own the site. On your own blog, you are welcome to say what you want.
Posted by: Larry Fafarman | September 5, 2006 2:43 AM
So, Larry Fafarman comes here to lecture you on upholding the high standards of Wikipedia. He assumes, that is, that you wrote and are maintaining your Wikipedia entry. Well, hey, isn't that how all biographical articles are done there?
If this guy offers you expert advice on procedure for bidding on toll bridges on EBay, check it out before proceeding.
Fafarman: Did you know that if you don't like the text in the Wikipedia article, YOU can change it? No, I thought you didn't.
Posted by: Porlock Junior | September 5, 2006 4:27 AM
You are actually famous, i found you through wikipedia... Biologist as well and godless too. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: V.Paravas | September 5, 2006 7:32 AM
Re:Larry Fafarman - any comments about the original article can be directed at me, as far as I'm concerned creationism and ID are well established into the realm of pseudoscience, and i'll take on anyone who wishes to prove otherwise. NPOV doesn't mean being nice.
as far as I'm aware PZ hasn't edited the article (like everyone, he can), or added a photo, or developed psyonic laser beams -
and he better watch out, there'll be a movement to put him in WikiQuote soon, and then he'll be in serious trouble.
Posted by: zayzayem | September 5, 2006 10:10 AM
Porlock Junior said --
No, I never said that PZ wrote the article, but he should be concerned that the statement arguably hurts Wikipedia's reputation for objectivity and impartiality. I have been favorably impressed by the objectivity and impartiality in most Wikipedia articles. Wikipedia is having a hard time gaining full acceptance and people who write on Wikipedia should show some consideration.
I didn't see any flat statement that "evolution is a pseudoscience" on the biographies of Dembski and Behe on Wikipedia.
Yes, I knew that (there you go, jumping to conclusions). I tried to log on but couldn't because six people with the same IP address were already logged on. Wikipedia can be edited without logging on and I could try that next, but maybe instead I will just complain to the Wikipedia staff.
zayzayem said --
That was not an NPOV. An NPOV would be just saying, "intelligent design and creationism," or at most something like, "intelligent design and creationism, which many people associate with each other and which many people regard as being pseudoscientific." As I said, the proper places to deal with these issues are the Wikipedia articles on intelligent design and creationism. BTW, I have never seen the combined form "intelligent design creationism" in general media news articles because general media reporters have the intelligence to recognize that there are differences. Wikipedia is not the place to state personal opinions as though they were definitions. You are seriously abusing Wikipedia.
Posted by: Larry Fafarman | September 5, 2006 2:09 PM
OK, does anyone have any idea how the *hell* Jason, of all people, got invited to join Wikipedia's Libel-Protection Unit? Is it an automatic invite to all new members? I have some trouble thinking of anyone less suitable: perhaps Coulter...
Posted by: Nix | September 5, 2006 2:37 PM
Jason said ( September 5, 2006 12:33 AM ) --
Disemvoweling did not work here, because I was able to decipher every word except Wkgd. Anyway, it is not clear why the comment was disemvoweled.
Posted by: Larry Fafarman | September 5, 2006 6:07 PM
Wikigod. He's disemvoweled because he's annoying.
And because he has and Anti-PZ blog.
Posted by: Steve_C | September 5, 2006 6:33 PM
Annoying, yes. Anti-PZ blog, no. I'm not going to stomp on someone for what they say outside Pharyngula.
You're all welcome to start anti-PZ blogs. I wish Alxndr Vrgs would.
Posted by: PZ Myers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 5, 2006 6:47 PM
So do I. Then I could be a concern troll there. Not. ;)
Posted by: Steve_C | September 5, 2006 7:00 PM
Talk: PZ Myers says:
It looks like it has already served its time on Wikipedia's homepage. It is currently archive Template talk: Did you know? and will eventually be moved to another location by someone's bot.
Hundreds of Wikipedia articles are created each day and only a handful make it to DYK.
Posted by: Michael Hopkins | September 5, 2006 11:24 PM
PZ Myers said --
That's nice to know, because my blog has an anti-PZ article titled,
PZ Myers, the Ann Coulter of Darwinism.
I checked the statistics of the site meter (that rainbow square near the bottom of the left sidebar)and found that Pharyngula has been averaging close to 20,000 visits per day for the past few months. That's incredible. In contrast, Panda's Thumb, a popular big multiblogger blog, has been averaging 6-8,000 visits per day over the past year. However, Pharyngula's average of page views per visit is not exceptional -- a large proportion of the visitors view just a single page or a few pages (many visitors come just to skim the new articles or to link to another website).
Posted by: Larry Fafarman | September 6, 2006 3:35 AM
zayzayem --
Your statement "As well as criticizing Intelligent Design creationism and other forms of pseudo-science, Pharyngula includes . . . " in the Wikipedia article about PZ does not merely show bias but gives the appearance of pig-ignorance about the fact that there are significant controversies regarding the relationship between ID and creationism and regarding the scientific merits of ID. A mere show of bias would be saying something like, "some people think that intelligent design is scientific and different from creationism, but they are wrong."
The following statement on Wikipedia's main page shows that Wikipedia is very concerned about its reputation regarding objectivity and impartiality:
The Wikipedia article on NPOV says:
The Wikipedia article on "Neutral point of view/FAQ" gives answers to the following questions:
You should stop abusing Wikipedia for purposes of your own propaganda.
Posted by: Larry Fafarman | September 6, 2006 6:20 AM