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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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« Need a poll fix? | Main | Tangled Bank #111 »
Category: Media
Posted on: August 6, 2008 10:52 AM, by PZ Myers
I'll be on the air on radio station WDAY out of Fargo in a few minutes. After yesterday's exhibition, I expect plenty of phone calls, so don't let me down. Give me good, short, sharp questions, too!
Comments
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 10:56 AM
I'm on!
They just plugged this site, and we can submit questions.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 10:56 AM
PZ as the Ulitmate WebMover.
Posted by: EM | August 6, 2008 10:57 AM
I asked people to email us questions, but our email server is completely down at the moment. So if you sent us an email question, we don't have access to it, sorry. You can repost it here and I'll try to get the Q on air.
Thanks,
EM
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 10:58 AM
Thanks for the equal time EM. I think you guys are pretty fair. Especially now that you just called Ray a wacko!!!!
Posted by: BG | August 6, 2008 10:58 AM
I have been listening for the last 10 mins or so and they have been pretty harsh on Ray Comfort, called him a wacko and such. And they have been very positive toward PZ. I like these guys, they seem pretty rational.
Posted by: Luke O'Dell | August 6, 2008 10:59 AM
Wow, well done B+J for calling out Ray C as a wacko.
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 10:59 AM
B&J say Ray's a nut and a wanker! thanks guys, great show. saying hi from Germany.
Posted by: Collin Tierrney | August 6, 2008 11:00 AM
I wish they wouldn't beat up Ray Comfort when he's not there to respond. That seems pretty low. I'd be just as pissed if PZ had to talk first and was then called things like a "whacko" by the hosts of the show, whose opinions aren't the relevant ones in the first place.
Posted by: Snitzels | August 6, 2008 11:00 AM
What browser works with this streaming? I can't get it to work in IE, Firefox or Safari
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:01 AM
you guys said wacko? I heard wanker haha.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:01 AM
What's the phone number?
Heard on today's show:
"PZ was gracious to change to today"
"Ray seemed like a bit of a wacko"
"how do you explain nuts? God made-em hard to open"
Posted by: PZ Myers | August 6, 2008 11:01 AM
Yeah, that is a little unfair. Better to call him a nut and a wacko in public, to his face.
Posted by: amon | August 6, 2008 11:01 AM
Break a leg PZ (:
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:02 AM
try FF3. works for me today ;)
Posted by: dtlocke | August 6, 2008 11:02 AM
A question for PZ:
When one of the hosts asked Ray yesterday what was the best piece of evidence for intelligent design, he said that what you should do is read the ten commandments. This strikes me as insane. Could you comment PZ?
Posted by: Protesilaus | August 6, 2008 11:02 AM
Anyone just getting news and not this morning show?
Posted by: BobC | August 6, 2008 11:02 AM
Please ask PZ to respond to Ray Comfort's claim that scientists want censorship in biology classrooms. Ray Comfort was talking about censorship of his intelligent design religious belief.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:03 AM
It works with Firefox, you just have to keep pounding on their site. It took me a couple of tries yesterday and today to get it to work.
Posted by: dtlocke | August 6, 2008 11:04 AM
Protesilaus, yeah, PZ will be on in minute.
Posted by: Collin Tierney | August 6, 2008 11:04 AM
I'm just concerned that the show will come off as really biased. The fact that PZ gets to be the one who rebuts Comfort and not the other way around just adds to it.
That's to say I'm unhappy with it. It's about time the luck went PZ's way after the Christian radio show let his opponent talk without even giving PZ a chance to respond at all.
Posted by: sqlserver | August 6, 2008 11:04 AM
Arghh! Can anyone get this radio thingy to work? I click on "Listen to Ben and Jim in the Morning" and hear nothing in the popup!
Firefox 3 on ubuntu, btw.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:04 AM
PZ is on after the news.
It starts at 7 minutes after the hour...
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:05 AM
Protesilaus,
news are on right now, the show continues right after.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:05 AM
Its a news break, show will be on shortly.
Posted by: EM | August 6, 2008 11:06 AM
800-279-9329
That's our toll free call in number if you want to ask a Q on-air to PZ
Posted by: dtlocke | August 6, 2008 11:06 AM
If you're having trouble getting it to work with firefox, try internet explorer.
Posted by: Serena | August 6, 2008 11:06 AM
I look forward to hearing PZ clean up the mess left by Comfort yesterday.
I wonder if, in all fairness, Comfort will be given a chance to respond? A quick phone in perhaps?
Really I just want to hear him justify his opinion when faced with strong opposition
Posted by: Collin Tierney | August 6, 2008 11:07 AM
*That's /not/ to say
Posted by: Ouchimoo | August 6, 2008 11:07 AM
Protesilaus:
They cut to commercials and people who support them, they said they hop back on at 07 after
course my clock says 10:09 :(
Hey PZ did you get a new comment layout?
Posted by: Claudia | August 6, 2008 11:07 AM
Is there a time delay for those of us across the pond?
Posted by: Nick | August 6, 2008 11:07 AM
Since yesterday the host or a caller (can't remember off the top of my head) asked Ray what the evidence for Intelligent Design was, perhaps PZ should explain what the strongest evidence for evolution is.
I'd like to see what evidence we could use to show someone who might not have a scientific background in biology that evolution happened.
Posted by: Dan | August 6, 2008 11:08 AM
Works everytime with ie, firefox is sometimes flaky. If you go to wday.com and click on the listen now button up on the top right corner of the homepage it should work no problem.
Posted by: Bad Albert | August 6, 2008 11:08 AM
If you are having trouble: once the WDAY Radio Broadcasts window come up, click on "Listen Live", near the top, to get the audio. Seems redundant I know, but it works.
Posted by: cactusren | August 6, 2008 11:08 AM
sqlserver...have you clicked where it says "listen live"?
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:08 AM
Problems listening?
Open the following using Windows Media Player (CTRL+O)
http://www.in-forum.com/av/asx/tvscripts/23365_80000.asx
John
Posted by: BG | August 6, 2008 11:09 AM
Bah. If they want to call him a wacko now, they are fine too as I see it. They gave that guy a good amount of their air time to talk to thousands of folks and let him say his piece. If they would have called him a wacko that pretty much would have ended the interview yesterday. This way comfort got to say everything he want to in the time alloted. If the hosts formed an opinion of him from his comments that they are expressing now that is just the breaks.
Posted by: Serena | August 6, 2008 11:10 AM
He's on!
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:13 AM
To comment on Ray, if you want to avoid the moderation cue (1 hour minimum posting interval), visit the Raytractors blog.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:13 AM
Crockoduck!
Drink!
Posted by: cactusren | August 6, 2008 11:13 AM
Wow! Calling Comfort's crazy ideas theories is waaaaay too generous
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:14 AM
http://raytractors.blogspot.com/
sorry, no href link
Posted by: Luke O'Dell | August 6, 2008 11:14 AM
Question for PZ:
What is evolution's biggest problem? What should Ray Comfort be attacking?
Posted by: Paul Schofield | August 6, 2008 11:15 AM
Sorry, should have toned down the humour there. Just missed a few sentences then laughing too hard at the grandparents remark.
Posted by: BaldySlaphead | August 6, 2008 11:15 AM
I'd like to ask PZ about this notion that atheists were quoting Ray's banana metaphor out of context. Does he have any comments to make about this?
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:15 AM
Pineapple!
Drink!
Posted by: Claudia | August 6, 2008 11:16 AM
Does this interview seem disjointed? There's no...flow, no atmosphere.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:17 AM
Ask PZ for observed examples of evolution. Lets get some actual sciency science out there.
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:17 AM
Yay Baldy!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:18 AM
yes. totally.
Posted by: Rab | August 6, 2008 11:19 AM
They've got funny accents these callers.
Posted by: cactusren | August 6, 2008 11:19 AM
Cambrian "explosion" = 455 mya. Did the caller really say 55 mya?
Posted by: LisaJ | August 6, 2008 11:19 AM
Oh, I wish I could be listening! I hope you're having fun and really sticking it to 'em.
Posted by: Jared | August 6, 2008 11:19 AM
Creationist classic! "Information" in genes!
Posted by: Ryan Jensen | August 6, 2008 11:19 AM
Although I didn't hear it, there is no way anyone in Fargo said "wanker" on air. First it's not in common use in the area, and second the audience would FLIP over it.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:20 AM
Woot!
Posted by: Bob | August 6, 2008 11:20 AM
blackwolf, where are you in Germany? I'm an expat in Dresden.
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:21 AM
Please ask about evolutionary predictions, how they are made, where they were successful etc.
Posted by: Kden | August 6, 2008 11:21 AM
Here's some stuff to scientific studies. Observed examples of Evolution:(talking about it now)
--Examples of observed new species forming:
A. Sharman, G.B., Close, R.L, Maynes, G.M., 1991, Chromosome evolution, phylogeny, and speciation of rock wallabies, Australian Journal of Zoology, Volume 37(2-4), pages 351-363.
B. Ramadevon, S and Deaken, M.A.B., 1991, The Gibbons speciation mechanism, Journal of Theoretical Biology, Volume 145(4) pages 447-456.
C. Arnold, M.L., Buckner, C.M., Robinson, J.J., 1991, Pollen-mediated introgression and hybrid speciation in Louisiana Irises, P-NAS-US, Volume 88, Number 4, pages 1398-1402.
D. Nevo, E., 1991, Evolutionary Theory and process of active speciation and adaptive radiation in subterranean mole rats, spalax-ehrenbergi superspecies, in Israel, Evolutionary Biology, Volume 25, pages 1-125.
E. Kluger, Jeffrey. Go fish. (rapid fish speciation in African lakes). Discover. V13. P18(1) March, 1992.
recorded examples of beneficial mutation?
--Examples:
A. Mutations have given bacteria the ability to degrade nylon (Prijambada et al. 1995).
B. Certain mutations in humans confer resistance to AIDS (Dean et al. 1996; Sullivan et al. 2001) or to heart disease (Long 1994; Weisgraber et al. 1983).
C. A mutation in humans makes bones strong (Boyden et al. 2002).
D. In vitro mutation and selection can be used to evolve substantially improved function of RNA molecules, such as a ribozyme (Wright and Joyce 1997).
--Examples of beneficial mutations adding information.
A. increased genetic variety in a population (Lenski 1995; Lenski et al. 1991)
B. increased genetic material (Alves et al. 2001; Brown et al. 1998; Hughes and Friedman 2003; Lynch and Conery 2000; Ohta 2003)
C. novel genetic material (Knox et al. 1996; Park et al. 1996)
D. novel genetically-regulated abilities (Prijambada et al. 1995)
Most Important:
H. Variation (including beneficial mutations) arises in populations that are grown from a single individual (Lederberg and Lederberg 1952). Since the population started with just one chromosome, there was no variation in the original population; all variation must have come from mutations.
As in, that is PROOF that mutations can add information.(rather then just most likely)
--Examples of mutations adding beneficial new features:
A. the ability of a bacterium to digest nylon (Negoro et al. 1994; Thomas n.d.; Thwaites 1985);
B. adaptation in yeast to a low-phosphate environment (Francis and Hansche 1972; 1973; Hansche 1975);
C. the ability of E. coli to hydrolyze galactosylarabinose (Hall 1981; Hall and Zuzel 1980);
D. evolution of multicellularity in a unicellular green alga (Boraas 1983; Boraas et al. 1998);
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:22 AM
Ben and Jim:
"Let's get some actual science...something to sink our teeth into."
PZ: talks about lizards on some islands...evolving of the lizard gut to better digest plant material. nice little lecture.
Ben and Jim: "Uh. OK."
Posted by: Claudia | August 6, 2008 11:22 AM
Good comment, last caller!
Posted by: Jonathan Smith | August 6, 2008 11:22 AM
RAB said "They've got funny accents these callers."
I resemble that remark !!!
Posted by: GirBoBytons | August 6, 2008 11:23 AM
I can't get the damned thing to work but I am also not allowed to download anything on my work computer. I suppose I will just have to listen to the destruction later. ::cries::
Posted by: cactusren | August 6, 2008 11:24 AM
Could PZ address the fact that creationists/ID proponents often say there are no transitional species, when in fact there are many? (For example, in the fish to tetrapod transition: Tiktaalik, Ichthyostega, Acanthostega, etc., and in the dinosaur to bird transition: Archeopterix, Caudipteryx, Sinosauropterix, etc...) Why do the creationists think they can get away with saying things that are so easily identifiable as lies?
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:24 AM
Bob,
I'm in Berlin. Hi! :)
Posted by: leki | August 6, 2008 11:24 AM
Oh Dr Myers, you are so soft spoken and articulate!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:26 AM
Leash trained dinosaurs.
kick ass.
Posted by: Bob | August 6, 2008 11:26 AM
I'll be up there for business on Tuesday. In Mitte. Any chance in meeting a free thinker at sbux?
Oh, great representation PZ! :)
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:26 AM
Caller:
"Ben and George Washington didn't know about dinosaurs"
"Adam and Eve has leash trained Dinosaurs"
WTF?!
Posted by: armoredTank | August 6, 2008 11:27 AM
@63:
More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_transitional_fossils
http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CC/CC200.html
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:27 AM
good callers so far. smooth going. thanks people!
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
Crackers!!!!!
Drink!
Posted by: leki | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
YES!! DESECRATION CALLS!!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
Cracker lover
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go.
Posted by: Capital Dan | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
Wafergate rears its ugly head...
Posted by: Bunk | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
I think the leashed dino caller was just playing a little joke. Hey the Catholics are out!
Posted by: Dave Godfrey | August 6, 2008 11:28 AM
Oh bollocks its the cracker.
Posted by: Protesilaus | August 6, 2008 11:29 AM
WAFERGATE COMES BACK!!!
Posted by: mr_p | August 6, 2008 11:29 AM
Ha, I was wondering when someone would call in and ask about the cracker.
Mr. P
Posted by: Mike | August 6, 2008 11:29 AM
yey onto the crackers!
Posted by: Serena | August 6, 2008 11:30 AM
We've got crackers!!!
I wonder where this guy heard this "rumor" about leash trained dinosaurs......
I don't beleive that is in the bible.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:30 AM
Ted in Morris:
What was Myer thinking about desecrating the Sacred Host?!
They drop the caller! and LAUGH.
PZ explains the protest to the hosts.
Ben and Jim seem to have never heard of it!! Are they in a hole?
"Are people actually giving you death threats!" "WOW"
PZ - "Strange how people are so attached to a bread product!"
Posted by: Paul Burnett | August 6, 2008 11:30 AM
EM - Please ask PZ if he has any hypothesis why creationists flat-out LIE so much.
Examples such as Buckingham and Bonsell in the Dover trial - under oath!
Thanks
Posted by: Collin Tierney | August 6, 2008 11:31 AM
Har. Ted from Morris got owned over the Wafergate issue.
Posted by: Rab | August 6, 2008 11:31 AM
No real crazy questions yet, eh?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:32 AM
Most callers have been reality based.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:32 AM
Ben and Jim: "Just don't use any big words..OK?"
These guys are "in over their IQ".
Posted by: Claudia | August 6, 2008 11:32 AM
ID is meant to be non-religous, scientific fact. Could PZ and the interviewer discuss why religious belief continues to crop up in ID? Surely it doesn't help their cause of trying to elbow into the classroom...
Posted by: Capital Dan | August 6, 2008 11:32 AM
Looking into the the genome?!?
It's turtles all the way down, PZ.
Posted by: Scrofulum | August 6, 2008 11:33 AM
I like the way the presenter sounded so surprised that PZ got death threats for blaspheming the glory of a cracker. Almost as though christmastians had never before got pissed off at such behaviour.
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:33 AM
Rev.BigDumbChimp,
ewwwww, librulz
Posted by: Toni16AK | August 6, 2008 11:34 AM
Good call so far. PZ gives detailed responses to good questions and doesn't even need to say how silly Mr. Comfort was. Sane, rational discussions are apparently possible. I'm so pleased.
Posted by: Archaneus | August 6, 2008 11:34 AM
@ #84
So far it seems like mostly people from here are doing the calling in. As entertaining as it would be to have some more crazies calling in, the quality of question would definitely decline.
Posted by: Protesilaus | August 6, 2008 11:35 AM
There is only one guy. Did the other one not want to talk to PZ?
Posted by: Cody | August 6, 2008 11:35 AM
this has been a great interview so far! way to go P.Z.
Posted by: Scrofulum | August 6, 2008 11:35 AM
Gurlz? Throwing? Pfft . . .
Posted by: dtlocke | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
Hey all, what's the phone number to call in?
Posted by: Luke O'Dell | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
Cue the death threats from feminists lol.
Posted by: Longtime Lurker | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
PZ, you sound so... evil. Better make that EEEE... vill!
Hopefully, some listeners will compare your informative, reasoned arguments, compare them to Comfort's ass-hattery, and drop their fundamentalism like a hot pineapple.
Sigh...
"They throw like a very clumsy girl." Ruh-Roh, the concern trolls will be out momentarily.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
Great Quote from PZ:
Talking about mustle-mass..
"They throw like a clumsy girl"
Posted by: jj | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
UGH! My connection keeps dropping out, and I'm on a T1!
Posted by: black wolf | August 6, 2008 11:36 AM
Protesilaus,
they have only one host the second hour. Same yesterday.
Posted by: John | August 6, 2008 11:37 AM
Contact Ben or Jim
701-241-5329 (Office)
1-800-279-9329 and 701-293-9000 (Studio)
benandjim@wday.com
Posted by: GirBoBytons | August 6, 2008 11:37 AM
How is it unfair that Ray isn't there to defend himself? Wasn't him who didn't want to be there and face PZ in the first place? He had the opportunity to be there and he wimped out, they have every right to make those comments about him when he deciced to split the debate.
Posted by: Bob | August 6, 2008 11:37 AM
maybe he meant "gorillas" and not "girls" and said it quickly?
Posted by: bio teacher | August 6, 2008 11:37 AM
Chimps throw like clumsy girls?????? How about chimps throw like toddlers?? PZ!!! I'm surprised by that remark!
But seriously, nice job you almost sound like a rational, thinking person!
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | August 6, 2008 11:38 AM
I agree. As much as I love bashing on
poorlying Ray, I think focusing more on the science and less on Ray's strawmen is a way better and interview and portrays the issue in a better light.Posted by: Scrofulum | August 6, 2008 11:39 AM
lol - Ignorance!
Posted by: Luke O'Dell | August 6, 2008 11:39 AM
Yay, my question. Good answer, but not exactly what I was after...
Posted by: Paul Burnett | August 6, 2008 11:39 AM
Claudia sez "ID is meant to be non-religous, scientific fact." (#87)
The designers (heh) of intelligent design creationism deliberately crafted it to avoid all mention of God / Genesis / Adam and Eve and Noah et al so - to avoid all overt mention of religion.
While they, in their abysmal ignorance of actual science (Phil Johnson is a lawyer, not a scientist) hoped that they could produce some actual "scientific fact," they have failed miserably to produce ANY scientific factual content at all.
So they have changed their focus to political / public relations / propaganda - because it's not science - and they now know it - so they LIE a lot.
Posted by: Mike | August 6, 2008 11:39 AM
I've always wondered how to pronounce pharyngula.
Posted by: Jim Babbitt ( Ben and Jim) | August 6, 2008 11:40 AM
I'm trying to keep this so the common man doesn't tune out.
Jim
Posted by: wÒÓ† | August 6, 2008 11:40 AM
(.)(.)
Posted by: eyerock | August 6, 2008 11:41 AM
He meant girls, but he corrected himself, no harm...only slight foul.