…and this is a 
Victory in Cincinnati?
Category: Creationism
Posted on: December 1, 2008 12:06 PM, by PZ Myers
We have a couple of comments from people who phoned the Cincinnati Zoo that suggest that the shameful pairing of the zoo with the Creation Museum is going to be revoked. I suspect that this was a case of an overzealous person in the marketing department grabbing an opportunity that sounded like good financial sense, without considering its implications to the educational and research mission of the zoo, and that the higher-ups with a bigger picture of their goals are a bit horrified, and are rapidly correcting the problem.
It has been verified: zap, the combo tickets on the zoo's ticketing site have been eradicated. The Creation Museum is still promoting them, though…let's hope they shamefacedly erase that page soon.
Any of you who wrote to the zoo — it might be nice if you send a follow-up commending them for their swift action.
Hah! The Creation Museum link has now gone dead. Our triumph is complete.
The story made the Cincinnati Enquirer:
A promotional deal between the Cincinnati Zoo and the Creation Museum was scuttled Monday after the zoo received dozens of angry calls and emails about the partnership.
The promotion was billed as "Two Great Attractions, One Great Deal" and offered a package deal on tickets for the zoo's annual Festival of Lights and a museum event called Bethlehem's Blessings.
The deal appeared on web sites for both institutions Friday, but it was pulled by the zoo Monday morning after complaints about the partnership started pouring in.
Most of the protests echoed the same theme: the Creation Museum promotes a religious point of view that conflicts with the zoo's scientific mission. The museum promotes a strict interpretation of the biblical version of how life began, and it suggests that dinosaurs and man once lived side by side.
Comments
Posted by: David Wiener | December 1, 2008 12:10 PM
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men (people) to do nothing - so its great that good people are doing something. I think the creations are a minority - and all we have to do to stop them is to stand up to them. As you, PZ, do so well.
Posted by: David Wiener | December 1, 2008 12:12 PM
Dang - "creationists"
Posted by: Alex | December 1, 2008 12:14 PM
Way to go PZ. Keep them on their heels.
Posted by: Droshi | December 1, 2008 12:16 PM
Great success!
Posted by: Karen | December 1, 2008 12:20 PM
Brilliant! This is the kind of Pharyngulation we need more of!
Posted by: Boomer | December 1, 2008 12:22 PM
Hooray! This is good news. Good work people!
Posted by: Horwood Beer-Master | December 1, 2008 12:22 PM
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people not to know what their marketing department are up to.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM | December 1, 2008 12:22 PM
Creationist cries of "Darwinists" being scared / censorship / godless satanists in 3...2...1...
Good job folks..... if they actually do take it down.
still up as of 12:21 PM EST.
Posted by: Jello | December 1, 2008 12:23 PM
@ David #1
Actually if this link is an indication of the overall national trend the YECers have the lead, though not a majority.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/108226/Republicans-Democrats-Differ-Creationism.aspx
Posted by: Crazyharp81602 | December 1, 2008 12:27 PM
All right! Good move on the zoo's part! :)
Posted by: Holbach | December 1, 2008 12:28 PM
Another small, but temporary, victory for reason. Perhaps the creation museum can make a liaison with Roswell, New Mexico and have interactive displays and then cover it all up and then deny the whole crap.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM | December 1, 2008 12:29 PM
And it's down. 12:28 PM EST
Posted by: Lowell | December 1, 2008 12:32 PM
Although the ticket combo is off the Zoo's website, it's still on the Creation Museum's site: http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/museum/2008/11/30/creation-museumcincinnati-zoo-combo-tickets-now-available/
I hope somebody from the Zoo is working on getting that removed.
Posted by: Son of a Nonymous | December 1, 2008 12:33 PM
Excellent work, team. This is the kind of thing we need more of. The enjoyment of poll crashing, plus the satisfaction of making a difference, of actually doing something that matters.
Posted by: Feynmaniac | December 1, 2008 12:34 PM
Yay! While this never should have happened in the first place it's nice to know them made the right decision, eventually.
This is the most interesting thing to happen in Cincinnati since......umm.....since.....This is the most interesting to happen in Cincinnati!
Posted by: Blake Stacey | December 1, 2008 12:34 PM
The "general admission" and "special events" pages are now empty, save for the headers. I guess they got eviscerated as quickly as the web guy could do it.
This may be an occasion for cautious optimism.
Posted by: Patrick Webb | December 1, 2008 12:35 PM
Great news, I sent an email this morning, great to see quick action.
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 12:41 PM
I suspect that this was a case of an overzealous person in the marketing department
I suspect that this was a case of a creationist idiot in the marketing department, and that person should be fired.
Posted by: ggab | December 1, 2008 12:42 PM
On behalf of all Cincinnatians, intellectually honest or otherwise, I thank the rational pharynguloid hordes for their help on this.
This is a community (pharyngula) I will always be proud to be a part of.
Thank you
Gary
Posted by: Sengkelat | December 1, 2008 12:47 PM
It's still on the zoo's website.
https://tickets.cincinnatizoo.org/signups/affiliates.asp
Perhaps they're contractually obligated to honor the combo, though too embarrassed now to promote it?
I sent them a letter asking them to remove that bit.
Posted by: Holbach | December 1, 2008 12:51 PM
"Prepare To Believe" on the creation museum information sheet. As the saying goes, if you can believe in a god, you can believe in anything.
Posted by: James F | December 1, 2008 12:57 PM
This blog needs "tally marks" like the symbols denoting kills on fighter planes.
Han and Warda Proteomics paper, February 2008.
Cincinnati Zoo-Creation Museum combo tickets, December 2008.
Nicely done!
Posted by: Parsnip | December 1, 2008 1:00 PM
Wow, did that work? I feel so empowered.
I don't think that anyone should necessarily be fired over this. Marketing should be educated, not punished.
Posted by: Seeker | December 1, 2008 1:04 PM
[deep breathing voice] "The capability to mislead entire marketing departments is insignificant next to the power of Pharingula" :D
So, any betting pool yet on when Ken "fucktard" Ham will decry this terrible case of Darwinist Oppression in his blog?
Also... who's taking bets on whether this story will be included in "Expelled 2 - Dumb and Dumberer"?
Posted by: Brad D | December 1, 2008 1:04 PM
One word (not counting those last two, or in fact these twelve in parentheses): Bravo!
Posted by: Glen Davidson | December 1, 2008 1:04 PM
I don't much mind mistakes (unrepeated, for the most part, of course) if they're quickly rectified. That's sort of the difference between science and religion, after all, the latter clinging to stuff that is at best useless.
Don't do it again, Cincinnati Zoo, and thanks for coming to your senses.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Dwimr | December 1, 2008 1:05 PM
I can just see Ken Ham going "MYERS!" the same way Jerry Seinfeld went "NEWMAN!"
Posted by: ouchimoo | December 1, 2008 1:06 PM
Hurrah! Good job team pharyngula!
Posted by: Ben | December 1, 2008 1:11 PM
Not to sound naive, but is it at all possible that the folks at the Cincinnati Zoo were actually trying to lure more creationists to a *real* scientific establishment with the offer of joint tickets? Couldn't they have been making a temporary alliance with the enemy in order to present our side? I'm not trying to defend the decision - we can't afford to appear sympathetic to woo - I'm just wondering if there might have been a less sinister motive...
Posted by: Greg | December 1, 2008 1:14 PM
Hurray for Common Sense!
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 1:15 PM
I doubt this was an innocent mistake. Only a creationist retard would try to make a deal with a magical-creation museum. Everyone responsible should be thrown out and replaced with people who are at least intelligent enough to not believe in magic. It makes no sense to employ insane people for any job, especially not a zoo that's suppose to be pro-science.
Posted by: Tom | December 1, 2008 1:19 PM
My prediction? The creation museum will continue to tout this for the duration of the contract. They will use this 'tie-in with the zoo' in their literature to justify themselves. Who knows what the zoo agreed to in that contract?
Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but from past experience, I wouldn't put anything past these guys!
Posted by: Zensunni | December 1, 2008 1:21 PM
Good job to all.
I still would like some sort of explanation from the zoo. Living in Cincinnati, I see constant marketing from the Creationism 'Museum'. I have had co-workers planning on bringing their kids there until I explained what the place is. I think people (who probably should know better) have seen the bait, the shiny commercials of kids running around playing, and miss the big anti-science hook. The general public just isn't as aware of the issue as Pharyngula readers. And I am willing to assume some zoo employee (again, who should have researched before doing this) set this up in ignorance of the Creation 'Museum's' actual purpose.
Posted by: Kubenzi | December 1, 2008 1:23 PM
"Not to sound naive, but is it at all possible that the folks at the Cincinnati Zoo were actually trying to lure more creationists to a *real* scientific establishment with the offer of joint tickets?"
In my opinion the harm still outweighs the good.Like someone said early in the other thread,this museum was actually struggling financially and dwindling in attendance.If the faithful can't keep it going on their own,certainly the last place it should hope to find salvation is from the Cincinnati zoo.
Also,the smug victory it gave the creationists to be partnered with an actual scientific establishment is cause alone for me personally to be against any kind of "maybe we will bring some over to our side when they go to the zoo" ideology.
Posted by: Sili | December 1, 2008 1:25 PM
It's a 'podmas miracle!
I say we ask PeeZed to make this daily feature. An Advent calendar of prodding YECs and their ilk.
Posted by: Dr. J | December 1, 2008 1:30 PM
Maybe, but it's still pretty stupid to give any credibility to tie any scientific organization to a group that believes in a 6,000 year old Earth, that the creation myth of Genesis - unlike the hundreds of other creation myths - is fundamentally true, and that allows you to ride a dinosaur as your ancestors once did.
Terrible partnership - why give them any validity at all? Aren't there better ways to market your zoo?
Posted by: LisaJ | December 1, 2008 1:34 PM
Good work everyone, that's awesome!
Posted by: fotomatt | December 1, 2008 1:38 PM
ZOO PULLS CREATION MUSEUM PROMOTION
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081201/NEWS01/312010040
Posted by: Matt7895 | December 1, 2008 1:54 PM
Glad to hear the Enquirer covered the story.
Posted by: Blondin | December 1, 2008 1:54 PM
"The Creation Museum link has now gone dead. Our triumph is complete."
In my head I read this in Darth Vader's voice.
Posted by: Blake Stacey | December 1, 2008 1:57 PM
Curses. Did anybody save the contents or a screenshot of the AIG blog entry?
Posted by: Michael Hawkins | December 1, 2008 2:00 PM
It's good to see that this egregious error has been corrected.
And PZ is right. If you emailed the zoo to complain, you should email them again to offer a little praise.
Posted by: Inoculated Mind | December 1, 2008 2:01 PM
This is wonderful news! Merry Kitzmas Everyone!
Posted by: Voltaire | December 1, 2008 2:02 PM
From the Enquirer article:
"No package deals had been sold, so no refunds will be necessary."
Awwwwwwwww.
Posted by: Inoculated Mind | December 1, 2008 2:10 PM
I just sent them a thank you note. I encourage everyone to do the same and make them feel good about the swift elimination of the ticket deal with the phony museum.
Posted by: Rey Fox | December 1, 2008 2:12 PM
""When we partner with the Reds, we don't get these kinds of emails," Yelton said. "It's pretty clear this is more of a distraction.""
Maybe it's because baseball teams generally don't have it as their mission to destroy everything you work to build up?
I would have preferred to hear from an actual zoo person who actually knows a thing or two about animals rather than some clueless marketing bozo, and I would certainly hope that they actually understood the message we were sending, but hey, a win is a win.
Posted by: Siamang | December 1, 2008 2:27 PM
Okay, so now that they're no longer in the business of actively promoting the Creation Museum... when can we expect them to get off the sidelines and work FOR the role of good science education?
It really is "We're zoos. We teach CONSERVATION, not biology! Plus we've got to keep the public coming through our wickets, we mustn't frighten them by using the E-word!"
The AZA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS EPISODE.
But they IGNORE the issue. See the thread discussion below:
http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/2008/09/association_of_zoos_and_aquari.php#c1235147
This story is in heavy need of persistent follow-up: Why do our nation's zoos almost totally ignore evolution? We should be ashamed of the pitiful job our zoos do in this department. It's not even a discussed topic at their convention.
Posted by: Bad Albert | December 1, 2008 2:28 PM
From the Cincinnati Enquirer article
They should have added:
"The Creation Museum features a talking snake. The snakes at the Cincinnati Zoo don't talk."
Posted by: Michael Hawkins | December 1, 2008 2:32 PM
@47
I've only visited the D.C. Zoo, but it didn't ignore evolution. It did have a sign prior to its human evolution section (located in the primate house, or something with a similar name) that warned visitors they may be offended by what they were about to see. It did, however, mention evolution extensively after that point.
But our zoos do need to stop with the apologies.
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 2:37 PM
Probably for the same reason many American biology teachers ignore evolution. They want to avoid harassment and threats from mentally retarded Christian thugs. It's too bad. A zoo would be a perfect place to learn about evolutionary relationships.
Posted by: Glen Davidson | December 1, 2008 2:41 PM
Not to unbelievers such as yourself, they don't.
Sheesh, you need a course in magic and how unbelief poisons the perfect world of miracles that would exist without atheists and their absurd ideas about "evidence," "repeatability," and "not privileging observers."
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 2:45 PM
Only in Idiot America would anyone feel it was necessary warn people they might learn something about science. I bet they put up that sign to avoid complaints from Christian assholes. My contempt for Christians grows every day.
Posted by: Karey | December 1, 2008 2:49 PM
I still want to know more about how this got all the way through to being an active package deal. One creationist mole or overzealous marketer could have had the idea, fine, but whole teams of people had to approve this when counting the steps. People who are familiar with the fact that zoos are about science.
Posted by: Random Pastafarian Chimp | December 1, 2008 2:50 PM
This is the best news I've heard all day. Huzzah... Rationality FTW!!!
Also, PZ, "The Noodly One" has given you this amazing power. Please, please, (for the love of pasta), only use this power for good.
-RPC
Posted by: Rey Fox | December 1, 2008 2:57 PM
"But our zoos do need to stop with the apologies."
Your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe it.
Posted by: Kassul | December 1, 2008 3:06 PM
wooo! Glad to hear we got such a prompt response.
I'm a bit dissapointed by the way Chad Yelton seems to have viewed this issue. That he got the general "hey we're upset about this" theme of our communication without actually reading what we said -_-;
Nevertheless, it's a win. Might not be a flawless victory, but a win is a win.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention PZ =)
Posted by: Qwerty | December 1, 2008 3:11 PM
I went to both and couldn't find the link; so, it must have been after VICTORY was acheived. Thanks to all the locals in Cinncy for their sensibility and hard work to eradicate this stupidity.
I did find out that I could have visited the Creation Museum for FREE on November 11th as I am a veteran and they offered free admission to veterans on this day. I may have to remember this and go next year as I think such monumental stupidity might be entertaining but I don't want to actually encourage stupidty by paying for it. (The same reason I won't buy the "Expelled" movie.)
Posted by: MH | December 1, 2008 3:12 PM
Yes we can!
:-D
Posted by: Tim | December 1, 2008 3:16 PM
An email I sent this morning after reading your first post, with the zoo's response below:
Dear Cincinnati Zoo,
I was planning on taking my wife and daughter to the zoo during our annual Christmas visit this year. Due to your marketing partnership with the Creation Museum, however, we are cancelling our plans to do so. I take my daughter to zoos not only for entertainment but also for education. Since you are opposed to the latter, apparently, we won't be visiting your zoo.
Sincerely,
__________________________________________________________
Thank you for contacting the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The combo package with the Creation Museum has been cancelled.
Thanks, Kathy
Posted by: Blake Stacey | December 1, 2008 3:26 PM
Unless you know Parseltongue.
Posted by: Mary Fitzpatrick | December 1, 2008 3:29 PM
I'm tired of all the ragging on Cincinnati, you can just stuff all that smugness someplace where the sun don't shine.
Cincinnati is a city with good and bad just like every other city in the country it's not a cardboard cutout cartoon. It may be a little more conservative and way more sports obcessed, than most places, but it full of decent honest hard working people most of whom have brains that work quite well. Cincinnati has one of the highest levels of volunteer hours per capita in the country, it has fantastic well supported art's community. I know from spending time in both California and NYC that people in Cincy are about 1000 times more likely to take people on face value than people who live on either coast. So, unless you've lived here,please just back off and refrain from commenting on how backward the city may or may not be.
You might find it hard to believe, but we can think for ourselves here, and most of us think the Creation Museum is just as big a joke as you percect,faultless, people on the coasts do.
Also, I don't know what Zoos you people go to but the Cincy Zoo has always talked about evolution in it's education programs. And you know what, only twice in 34 years of doing public outreach programs have I ever had a guest take me to task for that.
Posted by: ggab | December 1, 2008 3:36 PM
Mary
If I'm not mistaken, most of the Cincinnati specific complaints are coming from natives.
"So, unless you've lived here,please just back off and refrain from commenting on how backward the city may or may not be."
You'd be surprised how many of us are on here. At least I was.
Posted by: tomh | December 1, 2008 3:37 PM
Mary Fitzpatrick wrote: I know from spending time in both California and NYC that people in Cincy are about 1000 times more likely to take people on face value than people who live on either coast.
Not given to over-generalization, are you?
Posted by: Sven DIMilo | December 1, 2008 3:39 PM
Jeez, Mary Fitzpatrick,take it easy! Nobody--I think not one single commenter--has ragged on the town of Cincinnati, nor has anyone disparaged its fine, upstanding populace.
Just the special-marketing dopes at the zoo. People here would be making the same fun in the event that it was the San Diego or Bronx Zoo.
'K?
Posted by: Josh | December 1, 2008 3:43 PM
From the Cincinnati Enquirer comments:
--"Zoo officials said the promotion was intended to be no different than any other reduced-cost package deal the zoo offers with other institutions in the area, such as the Cincinnati Reds."--
The combo ticket with the Creation Museum was just a one-month holiday-season promotion. What was the big deal?
Apparently this whole protest against this combo ticket was orchestrated by just one blogger, "Sleazy" PZ Myers.
The hypocritical Darwinists pretend to be concerned about science, but they have hurt the Cincinnati Zoo's ability to get more visitors, revenue, and publicity for the purpose of helping the zoo display, study, and preserve wildlife.
If you Darwinist extremists think that you have heard the last about this, you have another thing coming.
Darwinist extremists? Seriously?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM | December 1, 2008 3:44 PM
Ugh
the comments at that article are as bad as you'd expect.
Posted by: Raynfala | December 1, 2008 3:46 PM
What? Nobody's said it yet? Fine, I'll say it:
C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!
Posted by: Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinker | December 1, 2008 3:48 PM
Mary, no one was making fun of your fair city. In fact, it seems that the general consensus is that it one creationist who works in marketing who brought this about. Unless, you think that throwing scorn on one person is the same as throwing scorn on one city, you are way off base.
Posted by: Mary Fitzpatrick | December 1, 2008 3:49 PM
Then shame of the Cincy natives for ragging on their city here instead of doing something constructive or pro-active to change the things they don't like about the city. If they are doing something constructive, let's hear about it. If you think the city is backward what concrete thing have you done to change thingst? Posting on blogs and writing letters to the editor don't count that's just preaching to the converted and patting yourself on the back for it. How have you gotten your hands dirty making the city a better place?
As to the rest, maybe I'm generalising, but I'm sick and tired of being treated like I have straw in my hair because I'm from the mid-west.
Posted by: Jorge Reyes-Spindola | December 1, 2008 3:51 PM
Dear Ms. Fitzpatrick:
Nobody is bashing Cincinnati. What we are opposed to is the linking of a scientific institution (i.e. the Zoo) with the antics of deranged den of superstition (i.e. the CM). We are all aware, us elitist latte-sipping, Volvo-driving, diversity-embracing, reality-based liberals, that any city is a mosaic with a wide spectra of beliefs, personalities and attitudes. Your complaint is irrelevant to the topic at hand.
Posted by: Skemono | December 1, 2008 3:51 PM
Indeed! Why won't Hogwarts start teaching Parseltongue?
Posted by: Mary Fitzpatrick | December 1, 2008 3:52 PM
"...This is the most interesting thing to happen in Cincinnati since......umm.....since.....This is the most interesting to happen in Cincinnati! ..."
Sorry I guess I read that wrong.
Posted by: BadMA | December 1, 2008 3:53 PM
Hey, didn't Phil Plait give his BA talk there a few months ago? Doesn't that count? Even a little?
Posted by: MH | December 1, 2008 3:55 PM
"Then shame of the Cincy natives for ragging on their city here instead of doing something constructive or pro-active to change the things they don't like about the city."
Well, they just helped disassociate the City Zoo from the Flintstones Museum. Doesn't that count as "something constructive or pro-active to change the things they don't like about the city"?
Posted by: - | December 1, 2008 3:55 PM
I'm angry, angry! Because of you zealous jerks the Cincinnati Zoo has shuttered their own Cincinnati talking snakes!
These beautiful and docile snakes can vibrate their glottis similarly to the mammalian larynx and in so doing "talk" during courtship dances and male-to-male aggressive displays. A handful of these meek squamates have even been taught a rudimentary "language", and the Cincinnati Zoo had been proud to house three such specimens since the late 1980s. Goaded by zoo attendants' offers of "pinkies" (frozen fetal mice), these gentle exotherms could be coaxed to, at first, just hiss, but then, in their excitement, emit sounds remarkably like English words.
One such snake, "Lord Chesterfield", shortly before his death in February of 1992, was known to have issued forth a stream of morphemes which was transcribed as, "Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them". He then walked several pinkies backward into his gullet by alternately distending either side of his flexible mandible.
And now their gone! Jerks!
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 3:56 PM
The Answers in Stupidity website PZ linked to, which was working earlier today, now says Page Not Found. Sorry, the page your looking for cannot be found. Error 404
They probably won't be talking about why the Cincinnati Zoo decided to have nothing to do with their idiocy.
Posted by: - | December 1, 2008 3:58 PM
I'm so angry I can't even spell "they're"!
Posted by: Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinker | December 1, 2008 3:59 PM
Posted by: Mary Fitzpatrick | December 1, 2008
As to the rest, maybe I'm generalising, but I'm sick and tired of being treated like I have straw in my hair because I'm from the mid-west.
Do you realize how funny this is, you complaining like this at a blog that is based in Minnesota. And that the man who runs this blog is from rural Oregon. Seems that you need some perspective.
And in cased you missed it, the brief letter writing campaign did the job, it ended this potential exercise in stupidity. And after today, there will not be much more thought about this. Calm down.
Posted by: Kel | December 1, 2008 4:05 PM
You'd think they'd talk it up, go on about the evil atheist conspiracy that is trying to persecute them!Posted by: BlueIndependent | December 1, 2008 4:08 PM
"What? Nobody's said it yet? Fine, I'll say it:
C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!"
LOL yoyu saw that Obama thing too huh?
Congrats to those that sent in comments to turn this around. I hadn't gotten around to doing it myself yet, but at least I can pick up some round-again slack.
Posted by: ggab | December 1, 2008 4:10 PM
"Then shame of the Cincy natives for ragging on their city here instead of doing something constructive or pro-active to change the things they don't like about the city. If they are doing something constructive, let's hear about it. If you think the city is backward what concrete thing have you done to change thingst? Posting on blogs and writing letters to the editor don't count that's just preaching to the converted and patting yourself on the back for it. How have you gotten your hands dirty making the city a better place?"
Well Mary
I bought a house in the worst part of Over The Rhine, where I do quite a bit thank you.
I also opened both of my shops in the downtown area. My entire life, present and future, is devoted to improving this city and helping it's people.
Your assumption that I am doing nothing only shows how arrogant and judgmental you are.
Would you like to hear what I did for this city TODAY?
Take your bullshit elsewhere.
It is no longer welcome here.
Posted by: Jadehawk | December 1, 2008 4:11 PM
sweet! it's a balm for the (nonexistent) soul to hear something worked out in our favor for once
Posted by: Alex Besogonov | December 1, 2008 4:26 PM
This is a triumph
I'm making a not here
HUGE SUCCESS
It's hard to overstate
my satisfaction...
:)
Posted by: Karen | December 1, 2008 4:34 PM
I just submitted this post to digg, bragging about your awesome ignorance-stomping powers. If there's anyone else here who likes seeing PZ on the front page (even if it's not a nifty science article) you can digg it here: http://digg.com/general_sciences/PZ_Myers_Strikes_Again_ends_zoo_pairing_with_creationists
Posted by: Mary Fitzpatrick | December 1, 2008 4:36 PM
gaab, good on you.
You put your money where your mouth is.
Posted by: James F | December 1, 2008 4:42 PM
#65 Josh quoting the Cincinnati Enquirer comments:
I'm sorry, I can't take seriously a threat from someone who watches The Flintstones as if it were a documentary.
#83 Alex,
Look at me still talking when there's science to do....
Posted by: Donna | December 1, 2008 4:49 PM
Hey!! Everyone is bashing the "idiots in marketing." I'm in marketing, and few of us are idiots. SOME are idiots, but please don't put all of us into the same trash bin. In fact, we don't always come up with the promotional schemes. Sometimes we are TOLD what to promote.
Posted by: ggab | December 1, 2008 4:54 PM
Mary
Thank you for saying that.
To be honest, if there was any money left, I'm not sure I wouldn't bail at this point.
After nearly ten years here it gets difficult. Sometimes I wonder.
I don't do as much as I used to. Never really did enough.
There was a day a couple years ago that started with me hosing blood off of my front steps from a shooting the night before and ended with me helping a couple neighborhood kids clean up a community garden, and it just tripped something in my brain.
How do you do that kind of thing and still find the strength to take care of yourself?
I've had to spend some time working on me lately.
Maybe my head and schedule will clear up soon.
Don't worry casual readers. The neighborhood has improved over the last couple years, but the garden has gone to hell.
Posted by: Rey Fox | December 1, 2008 5:01 PM
"And that the man who runs this blog is from rural Oregon."
Suburban Washington*, actually.
* The state, that is. Seriously, could we get in a time machine and find the people who named that state after the nation's capital city and give them a good sucker punch?
Posted by: mikes | December 1, 2008 5:17 PM
Posted by: BlueIndependent | December 1, 2008 4:08 PM
"What? Nobody's said it yet? Fine, I'll say it:
C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!"
LOL yoyu saw that Obama thing too huh?
---------------------------------------
I never saw any Obama thing, but I sure used to play a lot of Killer Instinct.
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | December 1, 2008 5:21 PM
I read this post this morning without time to think about it more than to say to myself, "Wicked cool if on-line rationalism can cause the Zoo to think clearly."
I spent the rest of the day at work and out of touch. Then I come home and find this welcome news! Haaay! How 'bout that? Wicked cool. The Zoo listened to this larger zoo and understood (I presume) that what this godless cadre had to say was valid, applicable to the opinions of more than just science freaks and geeks, and bearing an important message, to wit: "If you don't understand how life works, how can you eat?!!?
[/phony Pink Floyd imitation]
This is wonderful news, no doubt. But even greater is the demonstration of the usefulness of being able to give timely (within minutes) and persuasive (good sentence structure and punctuation) and effective ("stands to reason") commentary and criticism of issues just like this one.
The association of the Zoo and the Museum is not the sort of thing that commands the attention of nations and holds people breathless. However it is exactly the kind of association that can serve to confuse people. The very idea of a celebrated institution such as the Cincinnati Zoo involved with the rookie peep show of the Museum (OK, my prejudice is obvious. I'm not embarrassed.) carries an authoritative message that says the Zoo "approves" of the Museum. Not a good omen.
So I was delighted to come home this evening and to be greeted by this heartening news. Two encouragements: 1) Reasoned voices in concert are effective. 2) Reasonable people will listen to reasoned voices at least some of the time.
I'm very pleased and encouraged. It is plain to see that the efforts of a relative few have made a large difference.
Cue wounded whimpering and hoarsely spoken curses from the sorely persecuted in 3, 2, 1 . . .
Posted by: senecasam | December 1, 2008 5:31 PM
One small step for PZ, one giant step for science and reason!