Say…what about Molly?

I just noticed that it is September — we need to pick a new Molly award for August. Leave a comment and let us all know who you thought was a noteworthy, commendable, interesting commenter here on Pharyngula over the last month. I'll enshrine the most popular name at the end of the month weekend.

More like this

I'll toss in a nom for negentropyeater. I was the average American had even half as much awareness and passion re the upcoming election.

By Bill Dauphin (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Here's my entry.

Sorry it's late...

Many people who proclaim intelligent design are really stealth
creationists. I'm not so naive that I've missed that. They are using
this as a way to get religion into the public schools, despite the fact
that it is specifically forbidden by the constitution. Unfortunately,
this has given the concept of intelligent design a bad name. Do not
confuse me with these people. I have no religious agenda and I am
adamantly opposed to teaching creationism in the public schools. I am
also adamantly against spending one cent of my tax dollars to support
religious schools in any way. I am opposed to paying for transportation
to religious schools, I'm opposed to spending taxpayer dollars on
textbooks for religious schools and I am adamantly opposed to prayer in
any form in the public schools.
The fact is, I'm a fairly uncommon species of ID'er, being as I
have been an atheist for most of my life and I am now an agnostic. I see
no evidence for a benevolent and all-powerful god and frankly, any
mention of religion or god often produces an advanced dyspepsia. If you
want to know more about me, you can check out my website below.
Anyway, I also consider darwinian evolution to be probably the
biggest hoax in the last millenium. How it got as far as it has with
absolutely no observational and experimental evidence to support it
boggles my mind. Think about it for a moment. You've been had. The
evidence that is claimed is just not there. Take a look. Don't believe
me, if you don't want to. It's a story that people made up, and it
sounds good and it took hold of people's imaginations. It then grew over
time as it was promoted as the TRUTH by generations of evolutionists and
taught in institutions of higher learning by renowned professors. Part
of it's strength comes from a fear of creationism. This battle between
religion and science has been waged for centuries. This is just one more
battle in that war. Both science and religion claim to have truth on
their side. The only problem with evolution is the facts were NOT there
and science got caught with it's metaphorical pants down around it's
knees. Creationists arguments against darwinism are mostly right on the
mark. Instead of fessin' up, science has chosen to wage a rhetorical war
with creationists. This war will be lost, because the theory is so
defective that even a layperson can see through it. If we want to save
science, we have to stop promoting an obsolete, useless theory and get
busy doing what we should be able to do best, find the truth. And if the
truth is unattainable because we have no way of determining it by
observation or experiment, we should retreat from the battlefield, admit
that we don't know and probably never will and get on with the true
business of science. And leave the rhetoric and hyperbole to the
philosophers and pundits.

By Buck Mulligan (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Buck Mulligan:

Anyway, I also consider darwinian evolution to be probably the
biggest hoax in the last millenium.

If you're trolling for a Molly, you might want to try an alternate strategy.

Sweet mother of luck! I get to say it:
WHAT THE FUCK BUCK?

Haaaaa!

^@#2
"Concern troll - Someone who posts to an internet forum or newsgroup, claiming to share its goals while deliberately working against those goals, typically, by claiming "concern" about group plans to engage in productive activity, urging members instead to attempt some activity that would damage the group's credibility, or alternatively to give up on group projects entirely."

Buck Mulligan, that is just way too long a comment for any blog. One paragraph, a short one I should add, is more than enough text to convey an idea. Condense! Be brief!

How it got as far as it has with absolutely no observational and experimental evidence to support it boggles my mind.

Buck, have you read any peer-reviewed scientific research, ever? Replace "it" with "intelligent design" and then you'd be on to something.

"that is just way too long a comment for any blog. One paragraph, a short one I should add, is more than enough text to convey an idea. Condense! Be brief!

And the told Mozart that his compositions had "too many notes".

By Buck Mulligan (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Thanks Chimpy, there went the sangria, lime wedges and blue berries all over the screen.

And the told Mozart that his compositions had "too many notes".

Did you just compare that piece of tripe you posted above to Mozart?

BWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWahahahahahahaha

I'd like to see Rev. BigDumbChimp get one this time around. I find what the Rev. writes humorous,insightful,and just plain fun.

Seconding Rev. BigDumbChimp.

"And the told Mozart that his compositions had "too many notes".

That would be "they"

By Buck Mulligan (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

2nd BigDumbChimp!
Buck, buddy, you've got mulligan stew for brains - you're on the wrong thread. Zip up and haul your notes off this one.

Buck, this is not the proper thread for debates on ID or evolution. Please refer to any number of other threads that can be used for that purpose. Thanks.

Do we only get one vote PZ? I have three nominees in mind & if you leave it open for a whole month it's gonna be worse than the election! ;)

Thanks Chimpy, there went the sangria, lime wedges and blue berries all over the screen

I'm drinking way to many beers wondering if Hanna is going to show up.

SC

She's mastered the art of dropping concentrated nuggets of wisdom on godbotherers, rightwingeers and concern trolls. I raise a double shot of Corzo in her general direction.

Patricia

Might have the most screwy sense of humor on the intertubez. Another Corzo toast, this one northwards.

RevBigDumbChimp

Shit. The quality tequila goes to my head quick. *burp* cheers.

By oaksterdam (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I'm still learning who is who around here, and most of the memorable posters already have an OM. Still, the Rev. BigDumbChimp stands out as someone who held fast during the Crackergate affair, and whips up a mean bacon and/or barbecue. Negentropyeater is another name that has come up big recently. Patricia is always good for a smile, and I can smell her pies through the intertubes.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I nominate Buck Mulligan for this month's Aunt Clara Award. (After the befuddled character on Bewitched who collected doorknobs.)

Buck Mulligan spewed:

And the told Mozart that his compositions had "too many notes"

Did you just (a) compare yourself to Mozart and (b) quite a FUCKING HOLYWOOD MOVIE as if it were history?
Go back to AiG where your bloviating will be appreciated. Dumbass.

I nominate Buck Mulligan for this month's Aunt Clara Award. (After the befuddled character on Bewitched who collected doorknobs.)

ruined me.

and I'm blushing at the nominations all. Thanks

OT, has anyone heard from MAJeff? I wonder how the dissertation is going.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Another vote for Rev.BigDumbChimp. KoT.

OT, has anyone heard from MAJeff? I wonder how the dissertation is going.

How thoughtful. Yes, I've been in touch with him - including today, in fact. He's working on the dissertation and busy with teaching. All is well, and the work is coming along. :)

Thank you Oaksterdam, I know you mean well. But I am a properly stayed ignorant slut, and a twelve titted sow worthy of State Fair entry.
There is nothing 'screwy' about my sense of humor. How dare you, pup!

I'm going to second oaksterdam exactly.

1) SC - because she's always intelligent, witty and and insightful

2) Patricia- apart from the "solidarity amongst sluts" factor, she's quirky, funny, totally skewers the trolls and its time we honoured her.

and lastly

3) The good Reverend. Not only does he have one of the coolest names on the intertoobs, he's a straight talking generally kick arse all round commentator.

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I'd like to nominate Nick Gotts and SC for this month's Molly. I'd also be happy with Rev. BigDumbChimp.

I'd also like to nominate Buck Mulligan for an anti-Molly for his unnecessarily long winded comment in a post that had nothing to do with what he wrote and for his egomaniacal comparison of said comment to the works of Mozart.

By Feynmaniac (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Hmm,

Let's see, the Reverend, Patricia, and just to throw in an underdog, Darth Wader.

Though to be fair, that's mostly based on my short term memory (i.e. September).

This Buck guy isn't a very good troll.

Well, the cracker affair was last month, lately it's been mostly electoral politics, so my votes go to negentropyeater (what does negative entropy taste like?) and frog.

I'll throw a vote out to the good Rev also. My biggest concern would be that if someone didn't know better they would think he was just throwing random letters at the end of his name to sound better. Like a large number of creotards. But at least we would have the satisfaction that the Rev's would be well earned.

By Mercurious (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Huzzah for the Aunt Clara brass doorknob award! I nominate Scott from Oregon, WTF Buck and that fundament Salt.

I nominate John Stewart and Rev. Bigdumbchimp for mollies.

*Mollys. I should proofread :/

Gotta sell snake oil and eggs in the morning - so before I go to bed. I nominate BigDumbChimp, SC and Holbach.
Holbach never, NEVER gives a fool religotard one inch. He doesn't back down or back off. Some may not like his style, but when it comes to debating the pew slingers I know I can always count on Holbach.

I'd just like to point out that Molly Ivins was a *TRUE TEXAN* through-and-through. Additionally, I'd like to point out that the Church of the Subgenius was founded by "Bob" in Dallas. Figure that out for yourself and send one dollar, or don't.

Molly, "Bob", and the tragically under-celebrated Amon Carter (look him up, folks) *personify* Texas in my mind. I am more than a bit bewildered by the way the GOP mind-virus has transformed what was historically fiercely independent Texas into just another branch on the Jesusland Tree.

By Disciple of (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Rev. BDC for me! He comments on a lot of the blogs I read, and the other day I started wishing there was a Molly for the whole Internet. Thanks Brother BDC for being consistently awesome!

By speedwell (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I also totally agree with Patricia about Holbach. Someone needs to fling the religiotards' Hell fantasies back in their chattering teeth with great force. Holbach is the fighter for the job. Give 'em Hell back, Holbach. :)

By speedwell (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I'm not a bandwagon person, so can I use my vote to deduct one from BDC's vote count? No? Alright fine, you talked me into it. I'm voting for Rev. BDC. Don't try to talk me out of it now.

I'd like to cast a vote for Rev. BigDumbChimp as well.

The good reverend gets my vote.

I sorta like the sound of "Rev.BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM"

By BobbyEarle (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Randy part of my responsibilities as king of Typos is to comment frequently so as to maximize the chance and number of typos.

I'm sorry you have a problem with that.

I missed a lot of August, but here's my half cent:

negentropeater
SC

As for Buck's offering, the very act of posting it here displayed the same sort of intelligence as its content.

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

RBDC, KoT, OM

By Physicalist (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Chimpy (the BigDumb Rev. one) gets my vote.

His theme song is "Typo Through the Tulips." It's not as catchy as "Shaft," but it's damn funky.

The Rev for OM!!!

Buck for a new award: Odor of the Ben [or is that Ben Odor said 3 times fast...]

(I'd recommend "Lord Privy Seal" but someone more famous already used that reference...)

#58
His theme song is "Typo Through the Tulips." It's not as catchy as "Shaft," but it's damn funky.

You see, this cat Chimp is a baaaad mother....

my vote is for the Reverend too!

By CanadianChick (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Who's the sexy chimp
who types like a gimp?

Rev.

Daaaamn right.

Who is the man
who's fingers type like big ol' hams?

Rev!

Can ya dig it?

I'm talkin' about Chimp, baby!

'Scuse me noobishness but what does KoT stand for? All I can think of is the King of Town from homestarrunner =p

James F @ 60

Shut yo mouth!

I'm for the Rev.BDChimp. See the mischief he makes just by being nominated?

(Kudos to Capital Dan; you, brother, are all upper-case!)

By The Cheerful N… (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

You see, this cat Chimp is a baaaad mother....

Watch your mouth!

Oh. We're talking 'bout Chimp? Oh. Well... that's all right, then.

Rev. BigDumbChimp would be a worthy winner entirely on the strength of comments in this thread alone ;-).

By Brain Hertz (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

'Scuse me noobishness but what does KoT stand for?

See #55

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Chimp
Patricia
Gotts

Chimp because he is the one and only Rev. BigDumbChimp.
Patricia because she is so blunt it hurts when I smile and so funny that I smile when it hurts..
Yeah, I know Gotts and I have gotten into it, but I can appreciate and respect his consistency and clarity.

"I believe that ignorance is the root of all evil. And that no one knows the truth."
Molly Ivins

By mayhempix (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Until I checked a few minutes ago, I would have smugly bet against all his bananas that the good Reverend already had a Molly. That he doesn't is a shameful situation that should be remedied as quickly as possible. Here's one more vote for the Chimp. (There's a joke in here somewhere about monkeys and typewriters and more letters to type, but my fuzzy brain is having a hard time coming up with one at this hour.)

By Hairy Doctor P… (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Obviously, the winner should be whichever post sang the highest praise for me, Obama, your savior. Come, my children, my flock, find the post that best described the light and glory of me, Obama, and I shall lead you unto the promised land, a land of milk and honey, where government can tax us all into prosperity. Amen.

By Barack Obama (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

You rang?

I didn't know we could do these ourselves until Buck posted. Awesome! I hereby nominate myself by nominating Patricia and/or negentropyeater. Probably Patricia if I had to pick one, what with the boobs and sluttiness and all.

Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM is just a little much. And pronouncing yourself "King of Typos" is a little bit pretentious. Imean, WTF, some of us other folkd suck at typng too.

Surely Buck Mulligan must be an alias, and his posting must be a Poe. I mean, Buck Mulligan is a character in James Joyce's "Ulysses". I know, because he appears prominently in the only part of the novel I managed to finish (the first sentence).

By Wayne Robinson (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Hey, "Barack"... you might want to read your own tax plan there buddy, because I think it says that you're only going to increase taxes on corporations, dead people, the most profitable of small businesses and the 5% of U.S. citizens that are making over $250,000 a year.

Not knowing that could make you look kinda like an idiot.

Don't worry, I'll be doing all I can to get you elected and slamming assholes that try to distort your positions.

I'll go with Rev BigDumbChimp this time around, and this time because I think he's earned it.

It's fun reading somebody who has my talent for typos combined with absolutely no skill at proofing.

In a month where the above average posts came mainly from the usual suspects and OMs,I second the vote for the RevBDC ,and Negentropyeater.

Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT
Nick Gotts
negentropyeater

O/t but Buck: "I have no religious agenda" -- I think your pants are on fire.

Thx for those who nominated me.

I found the Rev., SC, Nick Gotts, and Bill Dauphin molly worthy.

By negentropyeater (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

I vote for Patricia, just so long as she promises to flash those petticoats at us!

By Matt Penfold (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

And BTW, I am quite passionate about ths election, and the choice for Obama.

Not that I think that he's perfect, but he's the only small chance that something might change in America.

When you have this small chance, you take it, or you just accept the certainty that nothing will change.

By negentropyeater (not verified) on 05 Sep 2008 #permalink

Neg,No 84 :

Unfortunately you and I are not voting in that election...

Its like asking the vampires to vote for van Helsing as their new President...they might not want to...

... and once you've taken that chance, the hard work starts, you've got 4 years to try to influence, as much as you possibly can, through the blogs, through civil disobedience, through an active expression and manifestation of your opinion, that change.

On the other hand, when you already know that nothing is going to change within the next 4 years, what can you do, apart from waiting for the next presidential election ?
Then you are left with having to accept the myth, wilfully cultivated by the people in positions of power, that the only influence on democracy that you can have as a regular citizen, is through your vote.

It's this idea of "abondonement" that I found so particularly frustrating. History shows that it's because there are people who are passionate and do not accept this as a given, that we can progress.

By negentropyeater (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I would like to vote for Mrs Tilton please. Also for Owlmirror too.

Owlmirror was awarded a Molly last month...

By negentropyeater (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Then I will vote for negentropyeater and Mrs Tilton.

Another vote for Patricia.

If we're using the Australian preferential voting systems, then:
1. Patricia
2. Rev.BigDumbChimp, KoT
3. negentropyeater

1. Mrs Tilton

2. negentropyeater

3. JoJo

Mrs. Tilton won one in February.

What the slut said. (The original, OM, one.)

  1. negentropyeater, for general excellence through the many political debates that have taken place. And because I couldn't agree more with #86;
  2. Patricia, for making me laugh every time you comment; and of course...
  3. The Rev
By The Chimp's Ra… (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Buck - you're a lying sack of shit. Get lost.

By The Chimp's Ra… (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Even though he spells Cackalackee wrong, I throw my support behind fellow Palmetto Stater Rev. BigDumbChimp.

By senecasam (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

1) Negentropyeater.

If my vote counts.

2) Patricia.

3) Rev. BDC, KoT

By leeleeone (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

People here mention some good candidates, but imo the Mollies for August should be a slam-dunk for guestbloggers Danio and LisaJ (MAJeff and I already have Mollies.) Hey, coming up with a topic and writing an entire post from scratch is hard! And they were both EXCELLENT, setting a very tough standard, and doing PZ proud.

Just to refresh memories:
Danio blogged on: Speedo LZR Racer suit; Matt Nisbet; Libby Purves vs. Dawkins; global awareness; contraception and abortion; "Evolve;" a victory for rationalism at UC; Scienceblogs survey; "giving up the ghost" and dealing with death; sensory cell neurobiology; Usher syndrome I, II, III, AND IV; cephalopods strike back; religion banning books; miracle poll; stealth anti-choice activism

LisaJ blogged on: study on embryonic stem cells; PETA and Phelps; "Obama Fatigue;" How to pretend you give a shit about the election; invisibility cloak; promoting a scientific mind; war in Afghanistan; solar eclipse; paleontology discoveries; Sonic Hedgehog; crashing "Under God" poll; brainwashed into murder; religious physicians refusing to treat patients

My votes go to Danio and LisaJ. There's no way they should be Mollie-less.

Very, very well done, both of you.

AJ Milne. Why? Because of the consistent quality of Milne's comments: erudite, witty, thoughtfully provoking, and in general, just smashing.

James Joyce's character who came to life at the start of this thread made my day. Most likely of the Poe-ish persuasion, if not, either way, just hilarious.

Rev. BigDumbChimp and Negentropyeater are normally obvious choices for me, but ...

I'm going for Bill Dauphin, just for comment 142 on the "This is how we will lose" thread. Well worth a second read.

By CosmicTeapot (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Sastra @98, yup, you are right, Sorry, Milne, I withdraw my nomination (maybe next time?) and instead submit Danio and Lisa J.

@2
Darwin made the incredible (and completely unlikely) prediction of a moth with a foot long feeding tube that can pollinate a very unusual orchid in Madacascar.
And thats just for starters: evolution has, and continues to, make accurate, and often astounding predictions all the time (and these ARE the same types of predictions that physicists and other scientists make, the only difference is the scale), especially in the field of genetics; which it utterly dependent on the truth of evolution: nothing in biology has an explanation without it.

I'm speaking as a physics student; but I can fairly say that no scientist (even Einstien, as much as I love him) made a more significant contribution to his field of study than Charles Darwin with his theory of evolution. It is a tradgedy that he doesn't recieve the same praise and respect among the common populace as he deserves.

Danio and LisaJ!!! They are outstanding. I agree with Sastra #98.

By Paguroidea (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Thanks for the nomination Sastra (and Logicel) and for your very kind words. Very much appreciated. By the way, you also did a fantastic job as a guest blogger.

When I redo my blog I'm going to get someone to program in a filter that catches long-ass troll comments and highlights them in pink as a courtesy to my normal readership.

Enjoy.

By Tim Fuller (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I thought the Reverend already had one...I've enjoyed his comments ever since I first started reading. My vote goes to him.

OT, but does #2 even realize that he didn't leave a URL? Clearly a concern troll.

Thanks to Sastra for reminding us that this is for the August Molly. Time, it seems, keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin' into the future, and on sober reflection I realize my earlier nomination was based largely on stuff posted in September.

So please allow me to revise-and-extend my earlier remarks:

1. I nominate negentropyeater for the September Molly. Yes, I know it's early, but IMHO neg has put out a month's worth of good stuff in the last few days (including some really good stuff from last night that I hadn't seen yet when I made my original nomination).

2. I support Sastra's nomination of guest bloggers Danio and LisaJ for August. I'm pretty sure this is what Sastra had in mind, but just to be clear, I'm moving that we suspend the rules and award Mollies for August to both Danio and LisaJ.

3. I was going to add to the above, in my typically flippant way, "with oak leaf clusters for special service," but then, in my typically geeky way, I actually looked up oak leaf clusters. Turns out they denote multiple instances of the same award... and it struck me that we should seriously consider adopting something like that something like that to address the "I'd nominate X, but s/he already has a Molly" situation. With that in mind, I nominate Sastra and MAJeff both for bronze oak leaf clusters to their existing Mollies, for their service to the blog during August.

PS: I was glad for the update on MAJeff. I had been beginning to get worried.

PPS: Blushing thanks to those of you who mentioned my name here.

By Bill Dauphin (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I nominate Woot. He or she has never written anything with which I disagreed.

Good point by Sastra, but I think the title of "PZminion" outranks "OM", so I'll stick with my first choice of bandwagon. But Sastra, MAJeff, Danio and LisaJ really did very very well in PeeZed's absense, and I heartily thank them for it.

Hey, I think I made a pretty good impression in August. humph... But anyway, who's the atheist chicky that homeschools? I'll nominate her. :)

Toni

By ElectricBarbarella (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Haven't read any nominations but mine are:
SC
Bill Dauphin
The KoT (Rev. BDC)

By Sven DiMilo (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Another nomination for Guestblogger LisaJ. She took a raft of shit from Truth Machine and lived to tell about it--that alone should qualify her!

(thanks for the nod, Sastra--if Mollies could be awarded to the same person more than once, you'd have a pretty cluttered mantlepiece by now!)

Although I've been lurking for a long time here at Pharyngula I've only posted a few times in the last couple of weeks. So, I don't know if my vote counts but, I vote for Rev. BigDumbChimp.

Looks like BDC has probably got it, and that's a great choice. That said, put down one for SC from me.

I appreciate the nod, chemist. I agree with the crowd, I vote for the Rev. From what I gather he likes beer, truly a man of the people.

*delurking*
I nominate guestblogger Danio, for this post.
*relurking*

By glasshanger (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

KoT cuts through BS like a photon through the Higgs field.

Honorable mention for Scott from Oregon.

I submit two new awards for consideration:

The BS (Best Sendup) award. September may well go to #2.
His "Mozart rejoinder" was superb OM bait.
And some are still looking for his website URL!!!

The AH award, for best Ad Hominem of the month. #95?

I vote for Rev. BigDumbChimp, he needs a OM to go along with his KoT.

By muttpupdad (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Rev. BigDumbChimp gets my vote this month. As for being the King of Typos, I have to say this: when he opens fire on trolls, those are just the tracer rounds for deadly accuracy.

I would add a vote for Danio and LisaJ too, but were they technically commenters in august?

PZ, if it's not too much work, would you post the individual counts of the Molly nominations?

I'm not sure if it's election fever (Harper is expected to call for the Canadian general election tomorrow and MCCAIN + OBAMA??) or the analyst in me, but I'm curious to see who gets how many votes.

...erudite, witty, thoughtfully provoking, and in general, just smashing...

Why, thank you. I may have to start reading these threads a bit more closely... It's an honour just to be nom... erm... oh...

Seriously, thirding/fourthing/whatevering Danio and LisaJ. Good calls.

Toni,

I'm an atheist homeschooler, but I don't think you meant me. There must be more of us than one would suspect!

I'm throwing in my vote for Danio and LisaJ, but it was a near thing, in my book, for the Rev.

I see nothing in the rules to prevent multiple Mollys being awarded in a single month - several months already have two.

So, since August was special, what with PZ's trip and all, I propose that the PZminions get automatic Mollys in addition to The Rev. BDC.

Sastra has a valid point about honoring the PZMinions, who kept the ilk well aroused during PZ's trip. I give all the Minions a hearty huzzah, and hope PZ does the best by you.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I'll add my vote to Danio and LisaJ for outstanding services to blogkind, and I nominate Rev. BDC, for months of consistently good posting.

I'm another one who was *certain* the Rev. already had a Molly. Now that I know he doesn't, I add my vote. He should.

I vote for the King! All hail the King of Typos.... I also like negentropyeater, but I'm a sucker for a monarchy...

By Graeme Elliott (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Yeah. Enough with the speciesism. I'll nominate presumed humans for September.

The AH award, for best Ad Hominem of the month. #95?

That's not an ad hominem argument. That's simply an insult. These terms are orthogonal to each other. "X and Y are the Wise Ones, therefore what they say is most likely true" is an ad hominem argument, for example.

By David Marjanović, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

And some are still looking for his website URL!!!


Google "Mind's Eye" and the composer of Lohengrin.

By Bishop Pontoppodan (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I would like to add my nods to Rev.BDC and Patricia. Their posts are always worth reading.

Cheers,
Ray

That's not an ad hominem argument. That's simply an insult. These terms are orthogonal to each other. "X and Y are the Wise Ones, therefore what they say is most likely true" is an ad hominem argument, for example.

Nope June said "Ad Hominem", not "Ad Hominem argument". Insults fall under the "abuse" category.

Nope June said "Ad Hominem", not "Ad Hominem argument". Insults fall under the "abuse" category.

No idea why so many people dont't think that abuse wouldn't be a fallacious way of arguing, by the way. Oh well. I guess just cause it's fun I guess!

No idea why so many people dont't think that abuse wouldn't be a fallacious way of arguing, by the way. Oh well. I guess just cause it's fun I guess!

Correction:

No idea why so many people think that abuse wouldn't be a fallacious way of arguing, by the way. Oh well. I guess just cause it's fun I guess!

Sorry. Bye. Thanks.

It's plain to see that RBDCKoT and Particia are going to get their OMs in due course anyway, so I agree with Sastra -our guest bloggers, Danio & Lisa. It's sorta like Ben Kinsgley getting his Oscar for Ghandi. There were other worthy contenders, but you just knew Kingsley might never get another bite at the apple

By Lee Picton (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Zeno #76:

I like the Rev.

Ook!

Ooh - was that a Terry Pratchett reference?

@Jason #102:

Forget it, dude. You're talking to somebody with corks in his ears...

By Brain Hertz (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Mike @ 63

'Scuse me noobishness but what does KoT stand for? All I can think of is the King of Town from homestarrunner =p

MOLLY FOR TROGDOR !!

------SPAM ALERT-----

Palin perverts UNITE
Keep your off-color sexist Sarah Palin jokes off this list. Take them over to http://hockeymompitbull.net which I just put on teh Internets this morning. Enter the Sexist Hockeymom Pitbull Joke Contest

I had assumed that Danio, because she was a guest blogger, was already an OM.

While I still endorse the nominees of my previous post, I would have to place Danio at the top of the list because of her post that stirred up the shit about PC and fundamentalist Islam. I applaud her independence and insightful writing style.

By mayhempix (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Quiet Desperation was just on fire the other day. On the basis of that single day's performance, I gotta go with him/her.

No idea why so many people dont't think that abuse wouldn't be a fallacious way of arguing, by the way.

a) "fallacious" has a meaning
b) #95 wasn't an argument or "way of arguing"

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I'm assuming that Cuttlefish has collected a few Mollies already, so I'm going to do the American thing and vote for the person I'd most like to have a beer with Patricia , or sangria, or whatever.

Where is the Molly list?
-----------------------------------
http://hockeymompitbull.net

Nope June said "Ad Hominem", not "Ad Hominem argument".

"Ad Hominem" is short for "Ad Hominem argument" or "Ad Hominem fallacy"; using it outside that context is meaningless or misleading; as has been repeatedly noted, it isn't a synonym for "insult". If June meant to say "insult", she should have. But in her comments of the past, all or at least a great majority of which are on this same subject, she has claimed that merely insulting someone is a fallacy, that a statement that includes an insult isn't logically valid.

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Where is the Molly list?

See "Commenters" in the menu bar.

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

She took a raft of shit from Truth Machine and lived to tell about it--that alone should qualify her!

Actually, she simply blew off my valid criticisms by telling me to "grow up" and refusing to address them.

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

PZ Sorry, i was late with my email reminder on the Molly nominations for august. I should use that reload button more frequently.

I consider SC and Patricia and of course RBDC KoT worth a nomiation for a Molly.

Darwin made the incredible (and completely unlikely) prediction of a moth with a foot long feeding tube that can pollinate a very unusual orchid in Madacascar.

How was it incredible or completely unlikely? If it were, why would he have predicted it? In fact, Darwin argued that it was quite likely that such an insect (he didn't specifically predict a moth) existed -- that's the whole point of such a prediction. But I don't see this as having anything to do with the theory evolution, other than springing from the same source -- Darwin's experience as a naturalist. That a flower with nectar a foot away from its opening would be paired with an insect with a tongue long enough to reach it makes just as much sense from the point of view of orderly design. Better examples are those that aren't so straightforward, that make sense only as the endpoints of paths through the twists and turns of fitness space.

By truth machine, OM (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I nominate Rev BDC for a molly.

The only problem is that he is from the South Carolina , and he is the king of typos, he would have to have his name as;

Rev Bogdumbchimp SCRKotOM, which is much too ballsy for my liking.

By Benjamin Franklin (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

We need to have some other sort of medal of distinction for Danio and LisaJ, but not a Molly. Mollies are for excellence in the comment thread, not for excellence in posting (otherwise we'd have to give PZ the Molly every month!).

What could we call it?

By speedwell (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Speedwell, I agree with you. Not about the medal of distinction bit, but that being in contention for a Molly under these circumstances doesn't really seem fair, as we are apparently being nominated on the perceived merits of our posts, rather than on bonafide comments.
Lee Picton:

It's plain to see that RBDCKoT and Particia are going to get their OMs in due course anyway, so I agree with Sastra -our guest bloggers, Danio & Lisa. It's sorta like Ben Kinsgley getting his Oscar for Ghandi. There were other worthy contenders, but you just knew Kingsley might never get another bite at the apple

Yeah, it's a teensy bit insulting, but not necessarily untrue. I may never get another 'bite at the apple', but I think that's a shitty reason to give someone an award.

The Galapagos guest bloggers had a ready-made and captive audience--no, you didnt' HAVE to read our entries, but it was a lot harder to dodge them. In contrast, and especially in light of the sheer volume of comments on this blog, it says something when quality opinions entered into the comments box can provoke, inspire, or enlighten. If the playing field is level, then, and I am judged solely on the basis of my comments, I pale in comparison to the current Molly awardees, and the others who have been nominated in this thread. Moreover, the opportunity to guest-blog on Pharyngula was an enormous honor in and of itself. It seems like overkill to pile on more accolades.

As much as I appreciate Sastra's endorsement @#98, and subsequent favorable responses (one of which, ahem, was from my husband), I'm expressing my wish to remain unMollified and throwing my vote to the Cackalacky King.

Since no-one else has mentioned it...

"Bishop Pontoppodan" (@#132) has already been outed as being Charlie Wagner. Given his penchant for literary sockpuppeting, I'd bet £5 (as in "...and I claim my five pounds") that "Buck Mulligan" is also Charlie Wagner.

Charlie, repeating your incoherent arguments from ignorance really isn't going to convince anyone that they are valid. I guess you're still stubbornly refusing to educate yourself, eh?

By Owlmirror (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

I agree with Danio that our stint as guest bloggers should not necessitate us being awarded Mollys. Yes, writing each post and deciding on the content was quite a bit of work, but I had a great time, and it really is a different beast than contributing eloquent thoughts in the comment sections. Really, being a PZMinion was a huge enough honour for me! However, all of the nominations here and kind words are very much appreciated.

I am going to 3rd Holbach for a Molly nomination.

Danio, your post @ #112 was hilarious. Thanks alot for that!

Danio and LisaJ, there's no need for modesty. Everyone here thinks you did a fantastic job, and if your posts had been comments, you would most definitely deserve to be nominated for a Molly.

By speedwell (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Everyone here thinks you did a fantastic job, and if your posts had been comments, you would most definitely deserve to be nominated for a Molly.

Agreed. And their comments besides their posts are deserving.

Sounds like PZ has quite an interesting problem on his hands. I look forward to his solution.
Reading the list of Molly nominees always gives me a headache. Oh, yes A deserves it too (headdesk). B is a good candidate I forgot about (headdesk). After a dozen or so headdesks, I have the headache.:-)

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

With due respect to guest bloggers LisaJ and Danio, I must nonetheless cast my vote for SC, in recognition of her persistent excellence month after month.

I have something to tell MAJeff.

I have something to tell MAJeff.

Is there any way I could help?

(And thanks!)

I'm gonna have to vote for Bill Dauphin. He comes across as a genuinely humane person, and was able to bring some civility and perspective to a couple of uglier comment threads earlier in the week.

By Longtime Lurker (not verified) on 06 Sep 2008 #permalink

Rev! Needs more initials.
Patricia! Because weirdass humor needs to be honored.

Took off on Friday afternoon and returned this morning, so I missed the polling for the Molly. Patricia @ 45, speedwell @ 50, and LisaJ @ 157, my thanks for nominating me, but have never felt the honor to be bestowed on me, for I have usually restricted my posting to combatting the religious crud who deserved a good kick in the teeth to let them know that we all don't live by their demented crap. Other than a few book references and science mentionings, my posting has been narrowed to these fields and not generally overall as what we are striving to post here. I have responded to the three named posters above as I like their comments, and so will defer to them for the awards, in what ever order PZ may decide. You three are worthy for the award. Thanks again.

Not changing my blog but I doubt there'll be much that interests you there. I don't get to update it with substance at the moment. Despite Randy's proclamations I'm busy with work running an IT department for a multi hundred mullion dollar company, so the blog is merely a place to blurt out a few short thoughts now and again. Hopefully that will change (the blog that is).

Your comment at #2 however is quite hilarious in its ball swinging swagger and utter ignorance. Or is it not ignorance and just plain dishonesty?

This war will be lost, because the theory is so
defective that even a layperson can see through it.

Yet no layperson nor scientist has been able to show how "lost" it is.

Funny that.

so the blog is merely a place to blurt out a few short thoughts now and again. Hopefully that will change (the blog that is).

I'm waiting for an "asshole, hurricane, bacon" post.

Buck Mulligan @ 2

You may consider Darwinian evolution to be a hoax, but evolution has never dismissed you as a hoax. And your backward evolution from atheist to agnostic only proves the power of evolution to retrogress. No hoax involved there.

I'm waiting for an "asshole, hurricane, bacon" post.

hummmmm. I may make bacon next week but I sure as hell hope no Hurricanes are coming my way. And I'd prefer no more hit one of my favorite cities, New Orleans.

I'm looking at you Ike.

In case anyone missed it, Palin's church is going to use the power of prayer to convert gays back to hetereosexuals. Another bank failure from too much prayer or not enough bullshit? This should be good and no doubt will generate much comment here! Man, that praying is powerful stuff, able to fend off hurricanes and keep banks solvent! Morons.

I vote SC for mollification.

I vote for Bill Dauphin, solely due to his rational comments during the recent Palin incident.

By «bønez_brigade» (not verified) on 07 Sep 2008 #permalink

While tempted to vote for the Rev. I have to go with Patricia. Slutiness needs to be encouraged!

As for Buck, coming on to a blog hosted by a biologist and making statements like;

Anyway, I also consider darwinian evolution to be probably the
biggest hoax in the last millenium. How it got as far as it has with
absolutely no observational and experimental evidence to support it
boggles my mind.

has to be the height of both arrogance and ignorance. It also shows what I think is one of the problems these loons have; they don't realise that science students don't just believe what they are told. I don't think that he realises that students actually do lab work, and actually see the evidence for themselves.He probably pictures science classes as something akin to a sermon. What a tard.

Aaaa, it's just Charlie Wagner. Charlie's been the Internet poster boy for the arrogance/ignorance combination for many years.

By Sven DiMilo (not verified) on 07 Sep 2008 #permalink

What?

Double negative?

I'm no english major and I'm more than happy to be corrected, but I'm pretty damn sure you don't know what the fuck you are talking about.

Do you consider neither / nor a double negative?

How about addressing the point I made

Buck Mulligan

No response to my comment at # 171 to yours @ 2 ?

Don't forget about the double negative.

"no lay person OR scientist"

FYI:

Both nor and or are Standard after an initial no or not, although or is more frequent today. No running nor [or] shouting is permitted in the corridors. Not wheedling nor [or] threatening could move her.

- The Columbia Guide to Standard American English, Kenneth G. Wilson, 1993, p. 298

By the way:

Part of it's strength comes from a fear of creationism.

The only problem with evolution is the facts were NOT there and science got caught with it's metaphorical pants down around it's knees.

Creationists arguments against darwinism are mostly right on the mark.

Work on that.

[In case there's any confusion, some of the more recent comments by Rev. BDC and me were in response to posts that have now been removed.]

I completely forgot to vote earlier:

Nick Gotts (I'm going to keep voting for him every month until he wins; I hope he returns soon.)

The good Rev.

negentropyeater

I actually have a list of all of the people whose comments I've so enjoyed reading on here over the past several months, but it's really long and would be annoying to scroll through. I wish you all knew who you were, but I suspect you don't, so I'll post it at some point. Thank you all. And thanks to everyone who has mentioned me here. I'm honored and deeply touched to be nominated by people for whom I have such great respect and admiration.

(Man, that was sappy, and I've only had one rum & Coke. I blame the walk on the beach.:))

I have voted for A.J. Milne a couple of times, but I have a hard time inspiring a bandwagon. I am going to jump on someone else's bandwagon and vote for

A.J. Milne.

Knock, knock...

PZ: "Who is it?"

Molly Award: "Molly!"

PZ: "Molly who?"

Molly Award: August´s Molly!

PZ: "Oh, wait a minute. Still Countin`!

OM: Knock, knock.

KoT: Who's there?

OM: OM.

KoT: OM who?

OM: OMFSM this is taking a long time!