…and this is a 
The Center for Inquiry has sponsored a new student-run initiative, Edger, a kind of group blog for young secularists.
Edger presents hard-hitting and reasoned news, views, and event promotion on issues pertaining to secularism, atheism, science, humanism, and the cosmos, and actively promotes and celebrates international freethought activism. Written in a youthful tone, but mature in content, Edger is sure to be a driving force in the new intellectual enlightenment.
MISSION
To create an outlet for prominent young freethought leaders to express their views and get them heard. Blogs are becoming very commonplace, and alone many blogs fail, but together, with the proper direction and an engaging and professional site, these blogging leaders can come together to make an impact far beyond what they could have achieved on their own.
It sounds interesting, check it out.
By the way, the Center for Inquiry is also sponsoring me for a talk. I'll be in Toronto on Halloween this year, speaking on "Science Education: Caught in the Middle in the War Between Science and Religion" (you can guess which side I take). Nobody will want to hear that, though — the real treat is that they also invited Skatje to speak at a panel discussion the day afterwards. I've already told her that if she wants to use her time to critique my talk, that's OK, so there is a potential for fireworks.
Politics
Comments
Posted by: Colin J | August 22, 2008 12:11 PM
Cool. How do we get tickets? I'd love to come and see you!
Posted by: PZ Myers | August 22, 2008 12:14 PM
I don't think they're selling tickets -- nobody pays to come here me talk, or I'd have to increase my speaking fees. Just show up!
Posted by: Derek | August 22, 2008 12:16 PM
What is the venue that you'll be speaking at in Toronto?
Posted by: Eamon Knight | August 22, 2008 12:23 PM
Aaaawriiiight! We are so gonna be there....
Posted by: Left_Wing_Fox | August 22, 2008 12:29 PM
Hmm, I think I'll look into visiting Toronto in October. :)
Posted by: Patricia | August 22, 2008 12:44 PM
Too bad you're going so late in the month PZ. You'll miss the Rock, Paper, Scissors World Championships. :)
Posted by: Gary Roberts | August 22, 2008 12:53 PM
Wow, what an honour for T.O. - I look forward to hearing your talk on the subject.
Posted by: db0 | August 22, 2008 12:57 PM
Don't forget that Evolved annd Rational is a member of the Edger so a lot of Lulz will be had.
Yes, she's not that in your face there but it's still Shalini ;)
Posted by: Romeo Vitelli | August 22, 2008 1:09 PM
You would pick the week I'll be out of town. Are you avoiding me?
Posted by: Bill McElree | August 22, 2008 1:11 PM
I would be traveling from six hours away (Sudbury) so some details in advance would be helpful to make arrangements.
Posted by: Chaz | August 22, 2008 1:17 PM
Gah -- you finally come to my hometown and I'll be at school! Come to Rhode Island!
Posted by: Bill McElree | August 22, 2008 1:19 PM
Here are the details. Decided to get off my ass and look them up myself.
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/ontario/events/pz_myers_of_pharyngula_comes_to_toronto/
Posted by: J-Dog | August 22, 2008 1:28 PM
CAREFUL!! I believe this is the Belly of the ID beast!!(**&%
Well, at least it's the home of Denyse O'Leary, the Winner of a Lifetime Bullyer-Lyton Writing Achievement Award.
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/2007.htm
She may show up an dangle a participial... sorry about the word picture.
Posted by: Spinoza | August 22, 2008 1:34 PM
Ah sweet!
Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | August 22, 2008 1:39 PM
That talk is scheduled for Halloween. Could be some strange costumes in the audience.
Posted by: Peter Reynolds | August 22, 2008 1:46 PM
Man...the 31st eh? If I show up to hear PZ speak instead of taking my kids trick-or-treating it'll be worse than Crackergate...
Isn't there a commandment that says "Ye shall not lecture on All Hallow's Eve" or something?
Posted by: IceFarmer | August 22, 2008 2:02 PM
I try to avoid Toronto on the best of days. Too bad it's not being held somewhere in western Canada.
Posted by: Qwerty | August 22, 2008 2:04 PM
Someone at theedger has critiqued Bill Donohue and the Catholic League. I would say this was a VERY intelligent investigation.
http://theedger.org/2008/08/18/peoples-guide-to-the-catholic-league/
Posted by: skyotter | August 22, 2008 2:18 PM
my costume -- Cardnial Glick, George Carlin's character in Dogma -- would fit right in with both the theme of the discussion AND any residual Crackergate fallout. but i'll be here in Alaska, not Toronto
Posted by: Glendon Mellow: The Flying Trilobite | August 22, 2008 2:31 PM
Terrific!
See you in October, PZ!
Icefarmer, all the best of days can be had in the T-Dot. Amazing reno on the museum, albino squirrels, decent goth clubs...what's not to like?
If you moved here to Toronto, you could farm slush instead.
Posted by: sasha | August 22, 2008 2:42 PM
omggg you're coming to Toronto? thats freakin AWESOME! i hope to god that i dont have an exam or something during halloween that stops me from going to Toronto! (I'm at the University of Waterloo, 2h bus trip away from downtown Toronto)
Posted by: Mike | August 22, 2008 2:49 PM
Great news, PZ. Can't wait to see you speak. I'll add this to my calendar.
Posted by: DH | August 22, 2008 2:58 PM
Dammit!!! The one day that month I am doing volunteer work! Do you intend to crush my spirits like this?
Posted by: Maragon | August 22, 2008 3:07 PM
So excited to see you, PZ!
Well worth the trek from Kitchener.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | August 22, 2008 3:19 PM
Right, sounds like a TO Pharyngufest on the Sat or Sun of that weekend!
Posted by: Rick Pikul | August 22, 2008 3:53 PM
Drat, I doubt that UTARPA will be able to resist having a show on a Friday Halloween.
But if I'm not there, I try to be there.
Posted by: ajrw | August 22, 2008 4:04 PM
Well, seeing as the CFI is a block from my house, I think I might have to reevaluate my costume ideas. This should be fun!
Posted by: Interrobang | August 22, 2008 4:18 PM
Yeah! I'm 3h by bus away from Toronto, but squid yeah I'll make the trip... Looks like I'll have to rearrange my work schedule, but that's okay. :)
Boy, I'm going to be in the Big Smoke a lot come the late fall -- my second-favourite Israeli band is playing the Guvernment on 22 November...
Posted by: William Hyde | August 22, 2008 5:24 PM
One issue that must be dealt with, of course, is the selection of the right pub. I'm not familiar with the pubs by the Centre.
William Hyde
Posted by: LisaJ | August 22, 2008 6:33 PM
Oh, no way... I totally would have headed to Toronto that weekend, but I will be at Cold Spring Harbor for a meeting on Halloween. Figures you'd pay us a visit during one of my rare weekends away. Bummer.
Well that's fantastic that they invited Skatje to participate. Good for her.
Posted by: Lynnai | August 22, 2008 9:43 PM
Wow, well be prepaired the downtown at least does not believe Halloween is just for kids and it in some areas ranks second only to New Years. Brace for potential random shenanigans.
Posted by: ayeung213 | August 22, 2008 9:44 PM
damn it PZed, you'll be in my hometown while i'm on another continent! and it's the day after my birthday!
(oh well, I've requested my friend Mike to stalk you at the AAI conference)
Posted by: Glendon Mellow: The Flying Trilobite | August 23, 2008 2:07 PM
If we need a good restaurant/bar to hang out in, The Red Room is not too far from the CFI, about two blocks.
Good quesadillas.
Posted by: Zan | August 23, 2008 3:14 PM
You should really come and do some speaking engagements in western Canada. I can't afford Toronto. ):
Posted by: Bee | August 23, 2008 6:20 PM
I can only hope, given TO is a 24 hour drive away from here, that, like all the old rock bands we see here now, when you get old and venues start calling on younger! more exciting! new! lecturers, you'll do a gig in Halifax, which is just an hour away.
Posted by: Zipi | August 23, 2008 8:34 PM
I demand a Pharyngufest in Toronto that weekend! You do not come up here so often.
Posted by: Monado | August 23, 2008 9:54 PM
You're coming to Toronto!? About bloody time! We can go to C'Est What? (pronounced "Say what?") which has lots of space to talk, good food, and their own microbrews. And a real fireplace.
Posted by: Monado | August 23, 2008 9:58 PM
C'Est What is here. Or we can pick something closer to the university and the CFI.
Posted by: Lynnai | August 24, 2008 6:21 PM
C'Est What is kinda expensive and not that big, extremely good beer though.
Hrmmm The Bow and Arrow has even better beer moderately better prices but is half way to North York (Davisville station actually, I like hyperbole occasionaly).
Rhino has more room also a wide veriety of good beer and a range of prices generally giving you exactly what you pay for (but nothing bad just that the pub grub is pub grub and the bistro type stuff is fancier). But is in Parkdale even further then C'Est What (arguably closer then Bow and Arrow).
Paupers is big (three floors and a roof top patio, danger of loosing people actually) has pretty standard pub pricing and is fairly close to UofT but doesn't have quite so much fancy beer.
The Victory Cafe behind Honest Ed's has two floors good prices and I can't recall what the bar selection is as the fact it has some of the best burgers and onion rings I can think of (and I am hungry) keeps pushing to the front of my mind. Further then Puapers but not a bad walk from much of UofT (says the dyed in the wool pedestrian).
Posted by: Tulse | August 24, 2008 11:01 PM
Hoody hoo! PZed is coming to the Big Smoke!
I second the suggestion for a Pharyngufest.
Posted by: Monado | August 30, 2008 9:18 PM
DH [#23], can't you swap volunteer nights with someone else? Or, given that it's two months' warning, beg off?
Interrobang [#28], I'm amused every time I go by The Guvernment that they were trying for illiterate spelling but put in the more-or-less silent "n" anyway.
Somebody tell the Toronto Skeptics! They meet at The Willow on Danforth some Freya's-day nights.
Um, how far from CFI to Brunswick Avenue and the Tranzac Club? --some amazing beers there. A couple of km, at the most?
Linnai [#39], we'd have to take the subway to the Bow & Arrow. They have good home-made desserts, too.
Posted by: Monado | August 30, 2008 10:00 PM
There's a pub called Einstein's about on College Street less than two short blocks west of Beverley Street. The CFI is at 216 Beverley, less than a long block south of College. They boast lots of space, different floors so maybe we could commandeer one, and several microbrews--beers from small, local breweries.