Pharyngula

Posted by: Blake Stacey | April 10, 2009 2:51 PM

"P-Zed, evilutionary superscientist. P-Zed, evilutionary superscientist. P-Zed, evilutionary superscientist. . . ."

Posted by: Glen Davidson | April 10, 2009 2:54 PM

Well sure, it's the nannies who go for the whole name.

We know we're in trouble when someone writes "Paul Zachary" or "Paul." For we know that there's going to be a long convoluted diatribe regarding "niceness," which totally avoids the rudeness of intellectually dishonest liars.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/6mb592

Posted by: Jim | April 10, 2009 2:59 PM

Yeah, I noticed this trend as well...I always read it like a mother scolding a child - I probably wouldn't know my own middle name today, if I hadn't been such a hellraiser as a child.

Posted by: schism | April 10, 2009 3:04 PM

I think the first few commenters at Pleiotropy are correct: "PZ," like any shortened or nickname, denotes a kind of friendly familiarity that creationists obviously don't share.

I'm less sure that the popularity of "Barack Hussein Obama" in conservative writing is similar. In my experience, it's more of an attempt to emphasize the "otherness" of the name, making it a vestige of the "Obama isn't American" meme.

Posted by: Newfie | April 10, 2009 3:12 PM

May I call you, "Paulie"? Want another cracker?

Posted by: Ken Cope | April 10, 2009 3:15 PM

My son, who will be 8 this summer, was named Zachary before, I think, I knew what the "Z" stood for when I saw PZ's posts on t.o, and long before I knew the name would meet with such approval among the Biblical names fan club. I liked it because, with the middle name Alexander and my last name, his initials, ZAC, would be recursive, and he'd share a name with a certain Dr. Smith, who used to curse a robot with epithets like, "You blundering bucket of bolts," and lament, "Oh, the pain, the pain." That he shares a name in common with PZ is a delightful coincidence.

Posted by: Dirty Hairy | April 10, 2009 3:18 PM

Maybe he would prefer "Paul-E Zizzle"?

For real, though, I was trying to find a point in that blog, was there one?

FYI, I refer to Dr. Meyers as "PZ" because...that's what it says under his picture on his blog!!!

Posted by: Dr Jim | April 10, 2009 3:21 PM

Hmm, rather than "little one who is remembered by god", I would suggest that "little remembered by god" might be more along the right lines, and certainly more preferable, no? ;-)

Posted by: Grendels Dad | April 10, 2009 3:31 PM

P. Zachary Myers, (bet nobody calls you that)

How about instead of “little one who is remembered by god” you give a different spin? “Little remembered by god” seems close to forgotten by god. From there it is a short leap to “forget all about your little gods, they probably don’t exist anyway. Now go enjoy some calamari.”

Posted by: amphiox | April 10, 2009 3:38 PM

Actually PZ, to be known as "little remembered by god" isn't that bad a thing, is it?

I think it is a residue of the old superstitions revolving around the "power of the name" which probably resonates subconsciously still to certain segments of the population. God refuses to reveal his full name to Moses at the burning bush, right?

To invoke someone's full name is to apply a curse upon him. . . .

Posted by: Alison | April 10, 2009 3:39 PM

It's pretty impressive that someone has made you a hate-site. Have you read all the comments? Some of them are pretty funny.

"I think it's because the initials 'PZ' have a certain air to them, for those in the know. They convey the full rampaging power of Pharyngula, compactly expressed in a mere two letters.

Saying 'Paul Zachary' is a feeble way to try to convince themselves that they are dealing with a mere man, rather than the Terrible Giant Squid."

It's the ninth comment down.

Posted by: 'Tis Himself, Quel Dommage | April 10, 2009 3:55 PM

I refer to Dr. Meyers as "PZ" because...that's what it says under his picture on his blog!!!

Your attention to detail is poor or else you'd notice that what it says under his picture is PZ Myers.

Posted by: cicely | April 10, 2009 3:58 PM

Well, according to some magical thinking, if you know someThing's True Name, you can Summon, Command, and Dismiss it. Implied threat?

Posted by: Grendels Dad | April 10, 2009 4:00 PM

So, they can remember his first and middle names, but can’t spell Myers… Curious.

Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | April 10, 2009 4:06 PM

He has contracted many supporters as well as many ardent critics, to put it mildly.

Posted by: shonny | April 10, 2009 4:12 PM

Posted by: Geral | April 10, 2009 2:57 PM Is it similar with our president? People who despise him emphasize his middle name.You know how I know when it's going to be a rant against him? When they start out "Barack Hussein Obama..."

Well, if he was referred to as 'B.O.' that wouldn't be all that great either, eh?

Posted by: cervantes | April 10, 2009 4:17 PM

Peasy -- full of peas, as in soup.

Sort of comforting.

Palls a Carrie -- Horrifies Ms. Underwood. Not good.

Posted by: DaveH | April 10, 2009 4:22 PM

I feel so inadequate, not having any middle-initial. Is this unusual in the ilk/minionhood?

Posted by: Otto | April 10, 2009 4:28 PM

Well, Germans would address PZ as Pay Tset.

Posted by: Sili | April 10, 2009 4:29 PM

Is that really all it'll take to get you visit?

:flings open wardrobe:

I have beer! Bought a selection of Easter brews, but haven't tasted any of them yet (lack of visitors). Please do appear!

I promise to only open one door of the cupboard so that we won't enter into xkcd country.

Posted by: 'Tis Himself, Quel Dommage | April 10, 2009 4:32 PM

I feel so inadequate, not having any middle-initial. Is this unusual in the ilk/minionhood?

You can buy yourself a middle name. I will sell you "Arbuthnot" or "Percy" for a mere $49.95 plus shipping and handling. Or if you want something a little more plebeian, "Roger" or "Alan" can be had for $29.95 +s&h. Or if you're really poor, you can get "Jack" or "Ted" for $9.95 +s&h, but that's only if you're really desperate.

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | April 10, 2009 4:38 PM

My brother's middle name is Clivie.

Posted by: Jonathan Rothwell | April 10, 2009 4:46 PM

I feel jealous now. I want a middle name, or at least an initial. Then I can gauge when people don't like me by looking at when they use my full name.

Posted by: lurker111 | April 10, 2009 4:52 PM

Three times in the mirror suffices: :)

http://xkcd.com/555/

Posted by: Fentwin | April 10, 2009 5:03 PM

My "initial' reaction.......Who cares by what name they call someone.

Posted by: tcb | April 10, 2009 5:11 PM

I feel jealous now. I want a middle name, or at least an initial. Then I can gauge when people don't like me by looking at when they use my full name.

You're lucky. All 3 of my names can be first or last names. Do I have three first names or three last names? I'm confused!

BTW, someone on the linked site suggested "Pee-Zack." Now that sounds good!

Posted by: MaryLynne | April 10, 2009 5:19 PM

That's all well and good, but when are you going to blog about being your own entry in Urban Dictionary?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pz%20envy

Posted by: daveau | April 10, 2009 5:31 PM

@48

I really don't like to pick on spelling or punctuation in this kind of forum, but QWERTY is pretty difficult to misspell. Freud would be proud.

Posted by: Grendels Dad | April 10, 2009 5:36 PM

Maybe Mel Gibson was right in Conspiracy Theory. They are trying to link you to assassins, who we all know all three names of?

Posted by: DaveH | April 10, 2009 5:58 PM

'Tis # 43

How much for Ebenezer? You've got an honest face...

Posted by: Sili | April 10, 2009 6:29 PM

Nah, rob,

That's too zackerhyme.

Posted by: Greg F. | April 10, 2009 6:52 PM

Well, I've been standing in front of a mirror all afternoon calling all the different variations of your name five times per variation and no link.

I've gotten a link on Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy, but for that I had to sacrifice a goat, conduct a full blown Satanic ritual and subject a creationist to all sorts of evils like telling her about basic evolution for 10 hours straight... I'd rather not go into full detail in public though.

Posted by: Janine, Insulting Sinner | April 10, 2009 7:11 PM

Funny, a right wing troll who used to stop by regularly for insults had yet an other insult in the comments.

Posted by: Ramdic Hellbane | April 10, 2009 7:55 PM

Where?

Posted by: Janine, Insulting Sinner | April 10, 2009 8:36 PM

It is on the site that PZ linked to. It is the not at all missed Eric Atkinson. Patricia, you remember him!

Posted by: Alex | April 10, 2009 8:55 PM

"Lee Harvey Oswald", "John Wilkes Booth", "Attila The Hun"

Don't forget This three named evil one

Posted by: plum grenville | April 10, 2009 10:02 PM

My theory (in the nonscientific sense of the term, i.e. a guess) is that people who call you by a form of your name that is not the one you prefer do it to get your goat.

Conversely, I have on occasion insisted on my full first name rather than the shorter form I prefer with certain people and in certain settings in order to distance myself from them.

Thus the person who answered the phone all day long, "Revenue Canada, Barbara speeaking" was emphatically not ME.

I also insist on "Barbara" with people I secretly dislike, to emphasize (if only for my own internal satisfaction) the distinction between such people and people I like, who are allowed to call me "Barb."

Posted by: recovering catholic | April 10, 2009 10:48 PM

Oops, missed your post, Newfie--great minds and all that...

Posted by: reboho | April 11, 2009 1:05 AM

LRBG - short for PZ?

Thought you were Dr. Evil-utionist? You want a Hot-Pocket?

Posted by: Tatshua | April 11, 2009 4:00 AM

The times I do mention you I've said PZ Myers. Mostly because I don't know many who I know reads your blog, so thats just to let them know who I'm talking about as it seems to be the most common version used on the sites I visit. I haven't even memorized your full name, so even if I did dislike you I would have to remember it. Though PZ sounds so much cooler, doesn't it?

Posted by: blf | April 12, 2009 6:18 AM

I would guess the third scandal was the discovery institute and the zoo (Cincinnati?)

Not the Demons Insane, but Kooky Howling-at-the-moon's creation “museum”.
And yes, it was the Cincinnati Zoo.

Posted by: JeffreyD | April 12, 2009 11:02 AM

Oh Walton, please do not make the snarky jokes so easy on me! I am a sucker for such bait.

Ciao y'all

Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | April 12, 2009 2:05 PM

On further reflection, could it be that Scandal 2008.3 was Prof. Myers's vicious, unprovoked, and strident blitzkrieg upon the historic Repub Nat'l Convention in St. Paul with his Calimari 666™ cyberpistol?