…and this is a 
Focus on the Family has just come out with their list of the "five media Leftists who distort Americans' views of the Bush and Obama presidencies". Ooooh. Guess who is on the list?
Paul Krugman, Nobel prize-winner, is #1. #2 is the editor of Newsweek, Jon Meacham; #3 is Ezra Klein. #4 is my favorite, Janeane Garofalo; I ♥ Janeane, and any list with her on it must be a collection of winners.
#5? ME! I even got the longest write-up of the bunch…they had to work hard to catalog all of my crimes. Maybe there's hope I can climb higher next year.
The runners-up — you know, all the people I beat out — are interesting, too: Bill Maher, Keith Olbermann, Joy Behar, Joshua Micah Marshall, David Fenton, and Jeffrey Toobin. Better luck next time, people!
Say, is there an awards ceremony? Can I invite Janeane as my platonic date (I'd still be going home with my wife, don't worry)? Or at least sit next to her?
Politics
Comments
Posted by: mus | September 8, 2009 8:47 PM
Woot! congrats!
On other news, some crazy insane lady took a photo of a flying beetle and she believes it is a fairy: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211845/Croydon-Tinker-Bell--fairies-the-garden.html
Posted by: MAJeff, OM | September 8, 2009 8:48 PM
The hate groups are calling you out. Gotta be doing something right.
Posted by: Killua | September 8, 2009 8:52 PM
Congrats PZ you godless leftist media heathen!
Maybe next year if you draw enough pentagrams you might make it to #1 on the focus on the family hitlist/blacklist/obamamedialoverlist???
Posted by: Grumpy | September 8, 2009 8:52 PM
Allow me to out on a limb here, but Focus on the Family doesn't know what it's talking about. All due respect, PZ, but you don't write about the Bush and Obama presidencies all that much. Not compared to Olberman or Marshall.
Posted by: Hank Fox | September 8, 2009 8:52 PM
What? No Charles Darwin?
Focus on the Family's James Dobson, Public Enema Number One: Tickling Christian Assholes Since 1977.
Posted by: SciencePundit
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September 8, 2009 8:54 PM
CONGRATS!!!!
Posted by: Celtic_Evolution | September 8, 2009 8:55 PM
Of all your achievements, PZ... this has to be pretty high on the list... what say, maybe 5th?
Huzzah! Good on ya!
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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September 8, 2009 8:56 PM
They can't even get their story story straight. They claim you trashed a crucifix instead of a eucharist. What type of pseudo-Xians are these people?
Posted by: Killua | September 8, 2009 8:57 PM
Ok, one more thing, I know it's FonF... but did they REALLY need "Myers objected merely because Collins is a christian"? Did they even bother to READ what you had said about Collins?
...
Yeah I know, stupid question.
Posted by: Jadehawk, OM | September 8, 2009 8:57 PM
congratulations :-)
Posted by: defective robot | September 8, 2009 8:57 PM
Janeane Garofalo? Really? Nothing against her--I love her too--but I haven't heard anything from her in ages (or am I not scrounging around the right blogs?).
You should at least be #4!
Posted by: Newfie | September 8, 2009 8:58 PM
WITH A BULLET!!
you've had a great year, PZ. enjoy your trophy, and let's get a bigger one next year! congrats!
/ raises beer
Posted by: WarrenS | September 8, 2009 8:59 PM
Congratulations, PZ...and I just have to say that the FOTF website is truly awful.
Posted by: Zeno | September 8, 2009 8:59 PM
I. Am. So. Jealous.
This is a mark of special distinction!
Posted by: MAJeff, OM | September 8, 2009 8:59 PM
This had better make it into the introductory comments in Fargo...
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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September 8, 2009 9:00 PM
Dang it, story
storyin my post #8.Posted by: Mark F. | September 8, 2009 9:01 PM
Congratulations on making the list PZ. Regarding Josh Marshall- what a joke. I turn to him and TPM.com for some sanity after all the hyperbole over at The Daily Kos. Speaking of which, I can't believe they left The Great Orange Satan himself, Markos Moulitsas, off of their big bad list.
Posted by: Hank Fox | September 8, 2009 9:02 PM
Hey, that article says "Myers has taken a photo of a crucifix in his trash can, with coffee grounds sprinkled on it."
The quote is from "one executive with a conservative Christian organization" ... whom they don't name. Uh, hello? Dobby can't quote his sources?
And I know I remember a holy cracker and a page from the Koran, but was there a crucifix? I don't remember that.
PZ, isn't that libel? Making a false accusation?
Posted by: Goheels | September 8, 2009 9:04 PM
Congrats! This is an honor which should rival your top 10 skeptics who kicked ass in 2008 nod, the 2006 weblog award for best science blog and the 2005 Koufax award, oh, and that little award from the AHA.
Posted by: Paul Burnett | September 8, 2009 9:04 PM
How can one "distort Americans' views of the Bush and Obama presidencies" when the cold hard data showing who voted for Bush (and later McCain) versus Kerry (and later Obama) proves this wonderful fact: http://www.paulburnett.com/toothless.xls
Posted by: Steve | September 8, 2009 9:04 PM
Congratulations!! And Janeane Garofalo is HOT! I've been madly in love with her since her "Truth About Cats and Dogs" and "Mystery Men" days! ^-^
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | September 8, 2009 9:04 PM
Ok, I read their write up on you. Which part was I supposed to be disagreeing with?
Posted by: strange gods before me | September 8, 2009 9:06 PM
Screw Jon Meacham. You should be bumped up to #4.
Posted by: aratina cage
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September 8, 2009 9:07 PM
I'm REAL proud of you, PZ! Thank you for everything you do to make this world a better place. This award proves you have had a positive impact. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Posted by: foxfire | September 8, 2009 9:07 PM
Woo-hoo and yowzah!
Congratulations PZ; next thing ya know they'll want people (not you) on Fox News to make a conversation about you "fair and balanced" and Michele Bachmann will be using you as an example of why home-schooled college should be a faith-based part of government-funded No Child Left Behind.
Now get the darn book out so hoards of us can preorder it on Amazon, OK?
Posted by: Wowbagger, OM | September 8, 2009 9:09 PM
Well done, PZ. And yes, Janeane Garofalo is awesome - on so many levels.
Posted by: ed | September 8, 2009 9:10 PM
Maybe your visit to the bullshit museum put you over the top for #5.CONGRATS!
Posted by: Insightful Ape | September 8, 2009 9:11 PM
Congratulations PZ! That's such an honor!
I have to say though, at some level I do sympathize with "doctor" Dobson. I mean, not getting invited over to the White House on an annual basis is no small deal. I'd be pissed too.
Now if we could only have a few trolls whining and fretting about how mean those liberals are...
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2009 9:11 PM
Congrats! It must be nice to know you are making a difference.
Posted by: Alyson Miers | September 8, 2009 9:11 PM
Go you! You're in some outstanding company there; I have a semi-platonic crush on Ezra Klein, and one should be proud to come in briefly behind Paul Krugman.
Posted by: Mike Fish | September 8, 2009 9:17 PM
It seems the John Stewart-Stephan Colbert style of humor might not be direct enough for those people to get.
Posted by: DaveL | September 8, 2009 9:19 PM
Hey, PZ, when did you take a picture of a crucifix in a trash can? I can only remember the one with the wafer, a page from the Koran, and a copy of The God Delusion. Also, didn't you specifically say you didn't oppose Collins because he was a Christian?
One thing I can't find in that writeup is, well, anything you said about Obama and how it's somehow inaccurate or distorted. Of course I'm betting FotF is counting on their readers to have short attention spans.
Posted by: Jordan | September 8, 2009 9:22 PM
Even taken out of context your arguments are simply divine.
Posted by: SC, OM | September 8, 2009 9:25 PM
You don't stop with science "per se," eh? Hmmm...
And do they really need a source to tell them you're an outspoken atheist and left-leaning in politics? They have a screenshot of the blog right there in the article.
Posted by: Larry | September 8, 2009 9:28 PM
Ah, these things are just popularity contests anyway. Krugman probably just sent them chocolate chip cookies in a pathetic attempt to buy the #1 slot.
Next year, fry up some squid-ka-bobs for them and see who takes home the big enchilada then.
Posted by: Carlie | September 8, 2009 9:28 PM
Awesome. And did they also make a medal icon for the blog? That would be great.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM | September 8, 2009 9:29 PM
Alright minions! We have work to do! We must do what we can to get PZ straight to the top next year! No slacking allowed! We have a goal and in the name of ATHEISM, there is no excuse for failure.
And should also bring Janeane Garofalo up to Public Enemy #2, even if she does spell her name funny. Sigh...I love her.
Posted by: jimmyfromchicago | September 8, 2009 9:29 PM
Did the "Focus on the Family" article even mention, um, the "family"? (Yet another good word the right-wingers have destroyed.) They don't even pretend to be anything other than a right-wing pressure group any more.
I've got to dissent from the Janeane Garofalo love-fest. During the run up to the Iraq War, I used to cringe every time I saw her on television. She was making incredibly bad arguments for things I believed in.
Posted by: Treppenwitz | September 8, 2009 9:31 PM
Something that's been bugging me for a while: where the hell is the bottom of a garden? I wasn't aware that a garden was the sort of thing that has a bottom.
Posted by: JRQ | September 8, 2009 9:33 PM
Hilarious, isn't it, that they can't get basic, easily verifiable facts right in an article that ostensibly exposes "leftist media distortions." They are pretty clearly just repeating things told to them second, third, or fourth hand by their sources. They can't help it, of course -- that level of mental laziness is a basic precondition for being associated with Focus on the Family.
Posted by: mario | September 8, 2009 9:36 PM
if i was smart enough to have a blog, i'd say my highest goal would be to get on dobson's hate list. by the way, it's funny what they call an "interview" when mentioning griff's ambush of garofolo.
Posted by: homer | September 8, 2009 9:38 PM
I'm proud of you
Posted by: foxfire | September 8, 2009 9:39 PM
@ #22
Well, crucifix would be a start. What do you *not* understand about the sanctity of a cracker? Oh JebuSlug - are you a Protestant? Never mind! They also missed the Quran and Dawkins's TGD mixed in with the garbage.
Ya see - PZ threw in TGD to make the point that *nothing* should be sacred, as in humans should *always* be using their cognitive facilities (logic, reason, observation).
Got it now?
Posted by: 'Tis Himself
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September 8, 2009 9:43 PM
I take professional pride in an economist being number one on the Dobson hate list.
Posted by: Cuttlefish, OM | September 8, 2009 9:44 PM
When down is up, and wrong is right, and watchdog groups act scammily,
I like to give my brain a rest, and focus on the family.
It helps, cos I don't have to think, just smile a bit, and nod,
And read about the evil folks and what they do to God.
Why, here it says, in black and white, some guy named P.Z. Myers
Tossed coffee grounds on God Himself to sate his base desires.
I don't know why he did it, for the comedy or drama,
But according to the article, it benefits Obama.
(I tried to find the logic, but my brain is out of luck--
My frontal lobe surrendered, with the message: "What the fuck?")
Posted by: teachingsapiens.wordpress.com
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September 8, 2009 9:47 PM
UR doin it right! This is high praise indeed.
Have a feeling that they didn't call it a cracker because these guys don't like catholics.
Janeane is cool, despite her support for scientology detox scams for 9/11 workers. I haven't heard much about her lately, so I would say you should rank higher.
Robert B / RobsterFCD
Posted by: Scott M. | September 8, 2009 9:47 PM
Congratulations!!
Posted by: Mike Fish | September 8, 2009 9:48 PM
Those FOTF boobs couldn't tell the difference between a crucifix, a eucharist, or a eukaryote!
Posted by: Yubal
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September 8, 2009 9:49 PM
Come on PZ, don't give in! You are good for Public Enemy TOP 3 ranking, keep on working on it!
(P.Z. P.E. ....wait a minute...are you the Antichrist???)
Posted by: Marcie Dietrich | September 8, 2009 9:51 PM
Way to go, PZ!
Posted by: Austin Yun | September 8, 2009 9:52 PM
Oh man, that's got to be great. I'd print that thing out and have it framed.
Posted by: foxfire | September 8, 2009 9:54 PM
@ #45 Cuttlefish
Dude...you just keep pushing the envelope on getting better and better. It's just *so* cool that you are back!
Posted by: dobbinriddle | September 8, 2009 9:55 PM
Hey, you're number one in my book, PZ!
Posted by: SC, OM | September 8, 2009 9:55 PM
Someone's gotta do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PaoLy7PHwk
Posted by: Jeff Darcy | September 8, 2009 9:56 PM
How nice of them to provide a reading list for us truth-seekers. I mean, I knew most of the people on the list, but there were a couple I was moved to investigate further. How helpful.
Posted by: Mike Wagner | September 8, 2009 9:57 PM
Why do these religitards consistently go after people with opposing views outside their own groups, but do nothing about things like child abuse and corruption within their own religious organizations? It's not just the Catholics raping children, but you never hear about these "family" and "godly" groups running clergy out of town on a rail, or taking action against scum like Roberts, Falwell, Robertson, Haggard, etc.
Posted by: tacitus | September 8, 2009 10:01 PM
What I find most amusing about Janeane Garofalo's entry is that take time they mention how Fox ruined '24' for the wingnuts by casting her as a regular on the show.
What with having to watch Garofalo every week *and* see the Sainted Jack Bauer receive absolution from a Muslim cleric in what was (at the time) his final hour, things must have been pretty rough for the wingnut '24' fans last season.
Posted by: aratina cage
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September 8, 2009 10:02 PM
He is the Alpha and the Zed.Posted by: Yubal
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September 8, 2009 10:03 PM
That's right, there was no crucifix on the picture. Maybe we should send them the link to the picture to make 'em look at a rusty nail in a cracker. Based on that PZ might get a rescoring and receives an higher overall rank?
Posted by: Kevpod
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September 8, 2009 10:04 PM
I know I'll get scorched for this, but...
Yes, FOTF has it all backwards, and they suck. Agreed.
But they do know how to punctuate properly, with periods inside quotes, like "this."
PZ, your refusal to adopt this convention is the one thing that regularly annoys me about your work. It's no different than chronically misspelling a word.
By the way, FOTF are lunatics.
Posted by: JoshS, Official SpokesGay | September 8, 2009 10:05 PM
Wait a minute. . FOF is upset with Jon Meacham? The mealy-mouthed, Christian editor of Newsweek? The accommodationist, hostile-to-atheists editor of Newsweek? Whatsa matter - he's not frothing enough for them?
Posted by: Greta Christina | September 8, 2009 10:08 PM
I'm totally jealous. Sheesh. Who do I have to blow to get on Focus on the Family's enemies list?
Wait. I just got a horrible mental image of who I would have to blow to get on that list. Never mind.
In all seriousness: Congrats, PZ! It's like getting your song parodied by Weird Al Yankovic. If you're on the Focus on the Family enemies list, you know you've arrived.
Posted by: formosus
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September 8, 2009 10:09 PM
Holy shit. FotF's web designer must be an atheist. That's the only way I could understand such an astoundingly shitty site design. I can't even read your section of the article, PZ, because that piece of shit keeps resizing. Not worth my stress to try and read their "worthless drivel".
Posted by: Traffic Demon | September 8, 2009 10:10 PM
Happy Monkey and congratulations!
Posted by: Deiloh
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September 8, 2009 10:12 PM
CONGRATS!! Phew that was close, try harder next time.
Posted by: F | September 8, 2009 10:14 PM
What a bunch of Flash-abusing wankers. Not too much in the Reason department, either.
But, hey, way to go PZ! If you're pissing them off, you must be doing something right.
Posted by: Amplexus | September 8, 2009 10:17 PM
I think they came up with the names on the list before they came up with the theme of the list. It's a list of people they don't like
Pz here hasn't really stood out in praising the Obama Administrations and his critiques of Bush back in the day were the same verifiable or obvious things that every other liberal has said.
I mean it's still an honor to be sure, I just don't think you won in the right category is all.
P.S. I'm really disappointed with Obama. He's been right wing as hell.
You were right PZ!
Posted by: gypsytag | September 8, 2009 10:18 PM
congratulations on hitting the big time.
you know if you're pissing those people off, you're doing something morally righteous.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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September 8, 2009 10:20 PM
¡Huzzah! Congratulations, PZ.
I'm sure James Dobson resembles Principal McDicker every time he hears your name.
Posted by: JD | September 8, 2009 10:23 PM
Congrats PZ!
You beat Maher and Olbermann.
Posted by: Heidi | September 8, 2009 10:24 PM
Damn! That's mighty impressive, especially given the competition. Congratulations!
Posted by: oipoj | September 8, 2009 10:24 PM
Congrats!
Goo luck next year!
Posted by: Diego | September 8, 2009 10:26 PM
What, no Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert?
Also, I like Garofalo, but I can't think of anything that she has done recently with a big political impact. Please correct me if I am missing something.
Posted by: seabhag | September 8, 2009 10:28 PM
"But Paul Z. Myers, an associate professor of science and math. . ." PZ, when'd you start teaching math? I thought you were a biology professor. So, FotF can't get right 'what' you desecrated (awesome job on that btw), OR what you do for a living.
Man, what's the world coming to when the uber-con's can't get their facts right? Oh wait. Nevermind. Nothing's changed.
Posted by: Steve in MI | September 8, 2009 10:33 PM
Time to add an entry to my lifelong wish list: to be condemned in the pages of Focus on the Family magazine. A grudging congratulations to you, PZ; I can't even begin to tell you how jealous I am!
Posted by: Kristy | September 8, 2009 10:33 PM
Congratulations PZ! Is there an awards ceremony, do you get a little naked gold man on a cross to take home with you?
Posted by: Susan | September 8, 2009 10:37 PM
A hearty, heartfelt congratulations. It's nice to know they're keeping tabs on you. They're obviously not paying very close attention to what you actually say and do, but at least you're making a splash in their strange little world.
Posted by: flatlander100 | September 8, 2009 10:38 PM
Please accept my heartiest congratulations.
Posted by: JD | September 8, 2009 10:39 PM
Some photo-chopper needs to make an icon badge of this to add to the list of other honors. Something like "the 5th most hated liberal" and a crying baby jesus.
Posted by: Alex | September 8, 2009 10:40 PM
So there they are citing Rush Limbaugh. The stupid, it really does burn.
Posted by: Steven Dunlap | September 8, 2009 10:41 PM
Congratulations! I realize that Prof Myers has worked long and hard to make such an impression on theocrats. There Should be an awards ceremony. That people so openly hostile to honesty and democracy should so disparage someone constitutes high praise indeed.
Posted by: a lurker | September 8, 2009 10:44 PM
If any physicists here invent a time machine go back and get James Cagney so he can play FotF's imagined PZ in "The Public Enemy #5." Or one could always settle for Johnny Depp in "Focus on the Family's Public Enemies" if no time machine is forthcoming.
In any event if one is a well-known group and you want to marginalize someone far less known, putting him in a public enemies list is about the stupidest thing you can do.
Posted by: hje | September 8, 2009 10:48 PM
What, no "love" for Rachel Maddow?
Posted by: beccastareyes
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September 8, 2009 10:49 PM
Kevpod, apparently what to do with periods and quotation marks varies depending on which side of the Atlantic you habituate -- in British English, the period only goes inside the quotes if it is part of the quote. It's like if you start complaining about a chronic misspelling... when the misspelling is realise or labour.
It's also a habit programmers pick up, because knowing whether the period is part of the code snippet you just typed out or is merely part of the surrounding sentence is important.
Posted by: SphinctOr | September 8, 2009 10:51 PM
Hank's right... They mentioned a Crucifix.
Their facts are a little off. Shocking!
I give you, the photo that started it all...
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/24/desecrated_lg.jpg
"By the way, I didn't want to single out just the cracker, so I nailed it to a few ripped-out pages from the Qur'an and The God Delusion. They are just paper. Nothing must be held sacred. Question everything. God is not great, Jesus is not your lord, you are not disciples of any charismatic prophet. You are all human beings who must make your way through your life by thinking and learning, and you have the job of advancing humanity's knowledge by winnowing out the errors of past generations and finding deeper understanding of reality. You will not find wisdom in rituals and sacraments and dogma, which build only self-satisfied ignorance, but you can find truth by looking at your world with fresh eyes and a questioning mind." PZ Myers
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | September 8, 2009 10:53 PM
FoF doesn't consider Barack Obama himself to be a "media leftist"?!?
Posted by: Tulse | September 8, 2009 10:55 PM
There is no way in hell that these folks didn't know the actual event, because frankly there is little likelihood that PZ would have come to their attention were it not for Crackergate. Focus on the Family is being (surprise) profoundly dishonest in their reporting, and yes, I think it is precisely because a large portion of their readership sees Catholics as little better than atheists (perhaps worse). Heck, even desecrating a crucifix sounds suspiciously like an idolatrous papist concern.
As for Janeane, she's a true alt-indie goddess, but seriously, when she appears on the season of 24 that I like to call "The Extended Argument for Torture", I'm not sure I think very highly of her lefty cred.
Posted by: Hank Fox | September 8, 2009 10:55 PM
#85 SphinctOr: Thanks for the link.
I'd forgotten that PZ also desecrated a banana. Kirk Cameron will be furious.
Posted by: dlkFox | September 8, 2009 10:57 PM
Congratulations. Next year maybe you'll move up in the ranks!
Posted by: SphinctOr | September 8, 2009 10:57 PM
NewsBreak: Jesus found on Mars. (anyone see where I left my Rabbi?)
http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerdc/article_272627743.shtml
Posted by: Xavier Ninnis | September 8, 2009 10:59 PM
What, no Glen Greenwald? Of course maybe it's due to him pissing off the "hopesters" so frequently as of late.
Still, seeing as, along with Marshall, he's pretty much my go to guy for that which "Focus on the Family" abhors most, rational commentary, it's hard to believe he is nowhere on the list.
Posted by: Xavier Ninnis | September 8, 2009 11:02 PM
Drat! Of course that's Glenn Greenwald.
Posted by: Nightshadequeen | September 8, 2009 11:03 PM
Actually, only Americans do that, in part because they were tired of having periods go astray on printing blocks. Brits have the quote marks placed based on the meaning. (Ex. "Oh well" compared to The poem is called "The Singer".)
No clue what Aussies use....or people from Canada, or people from South Africa, or the people from the places in the world I forgot to mention who happen to speak English.
Posted by: Anon Ymous | September 8, 2009 11:05 PM
You have no idea how happy it makes me that one of my male heroes goes all hero-worshippy (if that's even a word!) over a female.
And how depressed it makes me that it's unusual enough to be remarked upon...
Posted by: bdc | September 8, 2009 11:06 PM
Ugh. The writing in that article... Like it was written for those little pamphlety magazines we'd get in jr. high. They are trying very hard not to seem elitist I guess.
Posted by: bdc | September 8, 2009 11:08 PM
Oh.. And this has got to give Olbermann or Maddow the basis for a epic week of shows! One threat to propriety and goodness a day!
Posted by: JD | September 8, 2009 11:17 PM
Source: The Public Enemy
Posted by: RC | September 8, 2009 11:29 PM
I can see the book jacket now...
"The author, PZ Myers is considered the fifth worst media leftist by Focus on the Family."
Posted by: DemetriusOfPharos | September 8, 2009 11:29 PM
Wait, wait... wait... so, the list is about people who 'distort', which is their way of calling you a liar, and then they immediately lie about you and say it was a crucifix you had in the trash, and not just a cracker? Don't get me wrong, they are both meaningless symbols (and in the words of George Carlin, I try to leave symbols for the symbol-minded - its a better pun out loud) but not even bothering to tell the truth for a list about people who allegedly lie is just to much stupid to handle.
I think I'm gonna go re-read Lies and The Lying Liars Who Tell Them now.
Posted by: Monkeyman8 | September 8, 2009 11:31 PM
Congrats PZ, but I fear that this (the fact that people actually read this) is more of a victory for conservative morons not science (which is real dontcha know). congrats anyway PZ
Posted by: flippertie | September 8, 2009 11:35 PM
They can't even get their story story straight. They claim you trashed a crucifix instead of a eucharist. What type of pseudo-Xians are these people?
Of course they got their story straight.
The purpose of the page and the story is to keep stoking the outrage of the FotF faithful. The mental image of a crucifix in the trash is far more emotive than that of a cracker in the same place - so they've deliberately changed it. Remember 'Lying for Jesus' (c) doesn't count as real lying in the ledger of life.
Posted by: DJM | September 8, 2009 11:36 PM
I like what he wrote about Krugman. It seems that Prophet Paul is the great teller of "mythology". This coming, presumably, from someone who takes the bible literally?
Posted by: Ryk | September 8, 2009 11:39 PM
Congratulations on receiving this honor.
Posted by: Demonhype | September 8, 2009 11:39 PM
That's funny. I never saw Janeane during the approach of the Iraq war, but I did a lot of cringing and vomiting during that time, due to the very bad warmongering arguments I was hearing from every direction in favor of a very wrong and very illegal war--right down to the sweet little old ladies I worked with decking out the office like one of those tacky used car lots and tacking up hate/threat literature towards anti-war people on the public office walls as well as their cubicles, and talking over their coffee about how righteous we are to invade Iraq and teach all those towelheads that you dont' mess with America, USA! USA! USA! And such.
Apparently it's still going on today. And in too large and too loud numbers.
It was hard being one of the tiny sliver of sane and logical people back then, wallowing in depression in the midst of an ocean of happily smiling, patriotic hatred and ignorance and know that any dissent of our hyper-militarist patriotic insanity, you could lose your job or worse. I was ashamed to have human DNA, I was so nauseated. It's the sort of thing where you can't even be happy about being proven right--victory is more of a lateral move than anything. Though I feel much more sorry for the people we've killed, since they never signed up for this crap, and for the mess we all know we're going to leave behind, however much we try to pretend we won't.
It's given me an entirely new perspective on Rilla of Ingleside, though. People during a war are emotional, ignorant morons who dehumanize their enemies, and that never seems to change no matter how civilized we try to be.
Posted by: Dan W | September 9, 2009 12:12 AM
Congrats PZ! The Religious Right and related loons sure love to award you with all sorts of titles and things, don't they? I assume they don't notice or care that you find these things amusing.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | September 9, 2009 12:17 AM
The sooner the rational center tosses the loonies, left and right, into the outer darkness the better off we shall all be. To Fucking over the Family let me say, "Thanks for the sour persimmons." They slime all good people they associate with, and ruin the work and reputation of everybody associated with them, whether that association is warranted or not.
FotF is one of the reasons I hate and despise doctrinaire, authoritarian thinking and groups. For such people, such organizations demean people, devalue lives, and make it harder for people to come together to get things done.
I don't agree with the President's policies overall, that's the thing. That said, let me say that I find it a lot more productive to speak honestly concerning the issues, than to speak dishonestly about the people who support them. I know people outside Pharyngula who support the current health care reform measures, I understand their concerns and their aims. I don't agree that what they want is the way to go about it, but I understand why they feel the way they do.
Groups like FotF poison the discourse and make it hard for rational people to engage in conversation. We can only hope they continue on their moonbat trajectory and further alienate and isolate themselves from mainstream thought.
PZ, congratulations from Pharyngula's token rational rightist. May this honor mean more traffic for Pharyngula, Science Blogs, better circulation for Seed, and better sales figures for your book when it comes out.
Posted by: Patricia, Ignorant Slut, OM | September 9, 2009 12:23 AM
Bravo PZ! Bravo!
Posted by: Dahan | September 9, 2009 12:29 AM
Gratz! Damn I'm jealous!
Posted by: Capital Dan
|
September 9, 2009 12:58 AM
I'm not trying to scorch you, but it is worrisome that something so trivial would annoy you in such a way as to make the demand that the author change his perfectly acceptable writing style so as to solely suit you.
Posted by: The Pint | September 9, 2009 12:59 AM
Little late to the thread, but brilliant work, PZ! Keep it up!
Posted by: Gyeong Hwa Pak | September 9, 2009 1:02 AM
Oh noes!
Now FOF will get their wealthy right-winged financiers on you PZ! This is their hit-list ya know aproved by Jejus. lolz.
Really though, shouldn't public enemies be criminals and terrorists rather than a middle age biology professors and celebrities?
Posted by: Pascalle
|
September 9, 2009 1:04 AM
Congratulations on becoming a Math Professon PZ!
Posted by: Pascalle
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September 9, 2009 1:06 AM
Professor.. with an R..
I should not type before i had my coffee.
Posted by: Itspiningforthefjords
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September 9, 2009 1:10 AM
Late in, but Congratulations!
To be in the position of defining success like Conan the Barbarian in the first movie, when your enemies are people like FooF, is quite a feather in your cap.
Add some scalps as well.
Posted by: Carl | September 9, 2009 1:22 AM
Congratulations! I'm a little impressed with them as well though for discovering you; most right wing loons have their heads stuck so deep in the sand that they have no clue what's happening in the real world.
Posted by: TheVirginian | September 9, 2009 1:39 AM
All right. That settles it. I HAVE to start a blog. I want to get on the hit list of Focus on Fascism. Dang it all, I want the fascists to consider me their greatest enemey, their Khan, their Darth Vader, their Dr. Octopus, their Lex Luthor. It's no fair you getting on their list and I can't even get a dishonorable mention from Focus on Fascism.
OK, I confess to PZ Envy. It's an ugly syndrome, and I know I should get treatment for it. I'll just go take my medicine and wait for this fit to wear off. I want the Voices in My Head to stop telling me to hurl abuse at PZ for getting on the Religious Reich's Hate List.
Not listening. Not listening. Not listening. Gollum! Gollum! Gollum!
Posted by: Pareidolius | September 9, 2009 1:57 AM
FotF. It's their humorlessness that sets them apart, the religiosity, the piety, the literalism. They can't laugh at themselves and they can't stand it that we not only laugh at them, but at ourselves. We thrive on irreverence.
We live by the motto: The more you disapprove of me, the more I like it.
Posted by: Larry | September 9, 2009 2:04 AM
I'm not Larry #35.
I would like to see PZ continue his ranking with FOTF,
but also we need to get Obama to end his talks with a simple "Thank You" instead of the hideous "Dog bless you, Dog bless America."
Posted by: Michael X | September 9, 2009 2:06 AM
Well done PZ.
I expect a gala regardless of any ceremony!
Posted by: SaintStephen | September 9, 2009 2:24 AM
James Dobson... "Rain Man" :
http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/08sept/article002.html
Posted by: Kapitano | September 9, 2009 2:39 AM
"I'd still be going home with my wife"
Don't you mean the Trophy Wife? :-)
Posted by: Marion Delgado | September 9, 2009 2:51 AM
That's like winning the Blogger Nobel (or at least qualifying).
CONGRATULATIONS.
Seriously, you've arrived. That you're writing a book is a very good idea now.
Posted by: Happy Tentacles
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September 9, 2009 2:57 AM
Congratulations PZ! I've just put an extra rasher of bacon in my full English breakfast in your honour!
Can we all come and gatecrash the Awards Ceremony?
Posted by: DS | September 9, 2009 3:06 AM
Well.. you DO give Obama a pass very often...
At least, speaking from an atheist, non-affiliated, conservative/libertarian standoint.
Posted by: Ray Moscow | September 9, 2009 3:26 AM
Congratulations!
When Focus on the Family is against you, you know you're doing something right.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
|
September 9, 2009 3:43 AM
@Greta Christina [#62],
"It's like getting your song parodied by Weird Al Yankovic."
Not quite. Weird Al's work is actually beneficial to our species.
==================================================
And here's James Dobson announcing the list:
"#5 - that atheist pain in the ass PZ Myers. Uuuuuhhhhh, I'm gonna get that bastard this time!"
Posted by: Omnicrom | September 9, 2009 3:47 AM
The thing I find absolutely fascinating about the entire article is how utterly foreign all these attacks are to my frame of reference for reality.
When attacking Meyers for the review of "Idiot America" they simply list his objections, with the intent of showing how evil Meyers is for being against the creation museum, the schiavo fiasco, and climate change deniers.
Against Ezra Klein they appeal to the authority of Rush Limbaugh to attack him for his support of universal health care, which from my portion of reality is the absolute worst authority to appeal to.
Against Meachem they simply quote him saying that Bush did horribly in promoting democracy but praising Obama, the message being that Obama has been worse for the country in 9 months than Bush in some 8 years.
Krugman is called for excoriating Bush for his "Crimes", the parentheses appear to be important as the assumption appears to be that Bush never stepped outside the law.
Bill Maher is called for pointing out bizarre details in the bible and mentioning how easy it is to mock religion for things like believing a man lived in a whale or that snakes talked.
Keith Olbermann is given a triple threat of talking to playboy (gasp, what dens of debauchery), that Fox is more dangerous to our society than Al-Qaeda (double gasp, active and dedicated hate-mongering or not at least they aren't foreign), and for singling out a member of FotF for acts he disagrees with (triple gasp, how dare single out a good christian for punishment)
Joe Behar is called for mentioning that Bush squandered a surplus, and they make special mention to attack him for his answer to Bush's election, a mental lapse on the country.
The entire article is really fascinating as all these quotes and mentions of their beliefs are written as though they were admissions of murder. My favorite little bit is where when the author starts listing the crimes of the liberal media he mentions "critiquing their foes" as one of the way that Liberals are working to move the country away from righteousness in government and society. It shows how far away these people are from my reality that publicly critiquing people is apparently a crux of removing the good from society, personally any society where powerful people are scrutinized and held accountable for their decisions is sounds like a just and righteous society to me.
Posted by: XD | September 9, 2009 3:52 AM
This may have already been said, but isn't FotF a protestant group, and would that be the reason they said "crucifix" rather than "Eucharist"? They probably regard cracker worship to be as insane as we do, but they wanted to pin something anti-religious on PZ.
Posted by: Kel, OM | September 9, 2009 4:03 AM
Nice work there PZ, may you get up to number 2 (can't knock of Krugman, he's too awesome not to be at the top)
Posted by: R. Schauer | September 9, 2009 4:05 AM
Jerry Coyne and Richard Dawkins, eat your hearts out.
Congrats, PZ!
Posted by: Christophe Thill | September 9, 2009 4:17 AM
Congratulations PZ!!! Talk about a badge of honor!
Posted by: Woof | September 9, 2009 4:35 AM
I noticed a distinct lack of astronomers in that Top 5 list!
Posted by: Richard Eis | September 9, 2009 4:39 AM
Your powers to defy God and kidnap Jesus are legendary. Your minions are legion. The Stories about you grow with every retelling.
You're doing quite well i'd say.
Posted by: Felix | September 9, 2009 4:44 AM
Somehow I find it difficult to acknowledge the credibility of a group who publishes exposures of distorters while being a well-known distortionist propaganda engine.
Damn you reality and your undistortable bias!
Posted by: AlanWCan | September 9, 2009 4:45 AM
You lucky dog.Congratulations PZ.
I
Posted by: Utakata | September 9, 2009 4:58 AM
I'm posting here just to piss off Focus on the Famaily.
Posted by: MadScientist | September 9, 2009 5:36 AM
Yay! Paul Krugman is #1! I need to catch up on reading articles by Krugman ...
Posted by: Spiro Keat | September 9, 2009 5:42 AM
Congratulations Sir.
I look forward to you in #1 position next year.
For the information of non UK folks, the Daily Mail makes Fox News look like a reliable, unbiased, sane news source.
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | September 9, 2009 5:43 AM
Olbermann dares write about Grand Theft Election '04, and then you beat him?
Have you got more minions? Is that it?
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | September 9, 2009 6:05 AM
Go cheney yourself, Kevpod! Of all the world, only some – not even all! – Americans use this stupid convention!!!
When a period is not part of the quoted material, it is actively misleading to put it inside the quotes. Ergo, most people don't do it.
But never despair, o defender of parochial illogic. PZ does consistently misspell a word: he always, always, always writes "it's" instead of "its".
(...He never writes "it's" instead of "its.", though. Or instead of "its,".)
Posted by: Thunderbird5 | September 9, 2009 6:32 AM
@128 XD (and others mentioning crucifixes)
I always thought that crucifixes were specifically those holy sticks that had a figure of the writhing beardy bloke on and are favoured by Catholics, whereas Prods prefer the plain sticks approach which is called a cross. This being one of the defining differences in worship accessories, along with bells and whistles and statues. Hence it being a little odd that the rigorously unRoman FotF were whining about skewered crucifixes there...
Or is this another transatlantic thing?
Posted by: rightsaid | September 9, 2009 6:35 AM
Hilarious!
In your write up, they note how you were critical of Obama's choice of adding F. Collins to the administration.
What an unthinking fan you are of the president!
Posted by: AndrewB | September 9, 2009 6:46 AM
Congratulations for making the enemies list of a fascist organization. This is bound to bring out the crazies and drive up the hits.
Posted by: Thunderbird5 | September 9, 2009 6:47 AM
The only reason Janeane Garofalo is in this Top 5 (despite her Iraq war cheerleading) is because she was the only lefty woman with a media profile that the FotF dingbat who wrote this had heard of (before fleeing for safety to the Colorado Springs compound and away from black socialist Presidents and radical harridans).
Its just of those knee-jerk names they conjure up to scare the appropriate target demographic of their flock - the author probably got told from Jim On High that Jane Fonda is a bit old hat and Hillary Clinton a bit predictable. And they veto'd Cindy Sheehan because she's got a very good reason, so Janeane it was.
Posted by: Pete Moulton | September 9, 2009 6:47 AM
Well, it's nice to see that Paul Krugman's finally hit the big time! Yeah, it's pretty awesome to be a nationally-syndicated columnist/blogger, and all, and that Nobel Prize is cool too. But being on the same Top 5 list with PZed means he's finally arrived. I'll have to shoot over to his blog and congratulate him.
Meanwhile, gratz and a Happy Monkey to you, Dr Myers!
Posted by: Sigmund | September 9, 2009 6:47 AM
Old school public enemy.Posted by: agenoria
|
September 9, 2009 6:51 AM
Illiberal, according to Miriam-Webster: "lacking culture and refinement", "not generous", "not broad-minded".
There is a political definition too, but leaving out facts that spoil the point you're making is perfectly acceptable. Isn't it?!?
BTW I wouldn't want to have to read long articles with that software. It's a pain.
Posted by: Elwood Herring | September 9, 2009 6:55 AM
Yech - what a horrible website. Totally unreadable.
Kevpod: Yes, you will get scorched. You've mentioned it before and got scorched then. Read a book on punctuation.
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | September 9, 2009 7:11 AM
:-D
How's her name pronounced? Does it rhyme with "inane"? If so, do they point that out?
Posted by: Jud | September 9, 2009 7:18 AM
Entertaining stuff at FoF. They have a guy writing the article who apparently can't get a full time job (i.e., he's a freelancer), whose chief accomplishment is a biography of one James Dobson. The worst this guy can dig up on Ezra Klein is that Obama's health care proposal may not actually provide health care to everyone? And Krugman is "pilloried" as a Nobel Prize winner who criticized Bush?
I was left wondering if the author was a secret agent infiltrator from the Onion snickering behind his hand.
Posted by: SC, OM | September 9, 2009 7:19 AM
No, with gene.
Posted by: Didac
|
September 9, 2009 7:33 AM
Warmful congratulations for this very well deserved achievement. The fight for rationality has in Pharyngula its bulwark in Blogosphere.
Posted by: bonze | September 9, 2009 7:55 AM
Congratulations, PZ!
However, I note with concern that you are described as "left-leaning".
Is this a problem that could be corrected with orthopedic shoes, or perhaps surgery?
Posted by: JeffreyD | September 9, 2009 8:03 AM
Congrats to PZ and all the winners and finalists. I have been a proud myrmidon since 2006.
Thinking of getting out my baking tools and making a saviour on a stick cracker so we can do a dual "blasphemy" next time. I am all about labour saving.
Ciao y'all
Posted by: Chloe | September 9, 2009 8:06 AM
While, read what they wrote made me giggle, CONGRATS. It must be nice to be recognized by your crazy peers.
You've taken a picture of a crucifix in the trash sprinkled with coffee grounds? I thought that was a holy cracker. Or was that something different, but similar?
Posted by: Chemist | September 9, 2009 8:14 AM
Well, the "crucifix" DOES have a nail in it. ;-)
Why don't we all copy the trashcan picture and send it to "dr." D, asking where the crucifix IS?
naaawwww.... He probably employs many true believers to read and delete his emails .....
Posted by: Knockgoats | September 9, 2009 8:17 AM
Congratulations PZ! I bet Paul Krugman cherishes his #1 above that two-a-penny Nobel!
Posted by: Andrew | September 9, 2009 8:37 AM
Hey congratulations, PZ!!!
Posted by: Hypatia's Daughter | September 9, 2009 8:48 AM
#90 SphinctOr
Duh, I couldn't make out anything in that picture.
BTW this is what Jesus probably looked like
Not some white dude who looks like Charlton Heston.
Posted by: Blake Stacey
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September 9, 2009 8:58 AM
Did British spelling conventions run over your cat or something?
Posted by: Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. | September 9, 2009 9:01 AM
Congratulations. Big it up for PZ!
Posted by: Martin R
|
September 9, 2009 9:03 AM
But hey, this means that PZ is a threat to families, right? How is he gonna disrupt my family life? Seduce my wife? Seduce me and have me make a homosexual lifestyle choice? I'm worried!
Posted by: a_ray_in_dilbert_space
|
September 9, 2009 9:04 AM
In keeping with the family values theme, and since the Aristocrats Joke site closed, I'll put my own version here:
A man walks into a talent agent's office in New York and says, "Sir, a moment of your precious time, please!"
Agent: "Who the hell let you in here?"
Man: "But, Sir, if you would just take time to see the act my family and I have put together, I'm sure it would change your life."
Agent: "I don't do family acts. OUT!"
Man (welling up with tears): "Oh, but Sir, if you only knew how hard we've been working. This is like no family act you've ever seen before."
Agent (pulling out a stopwatch): "Awright! You got 5 minutes."
Man: "Oh, thank you, Sir."
(In traipse the man's wife, who curtseys, two tow-headed boys, a 13-year old girl, a dog, a cat, a hamster, grandma, grandpa and a boa constrictor. The man starts the music with a boombox. The whole family does a few dance steps and then...
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! (Insert favorite debauchery here--suggestions include incest, buggery, water sports, coprophagy, cannibalism...)
The act finally ends.
Man: "Ta Da!"
Agent (dumbfounded and a little frightened, but knows he has to say something...finally): "My God, what do you even call an act like that?"
.
.
.
Man: "Focus on the Family!"
Posted by: Bill Dauphin, OM | September 9, 2009 9:06 AM
What Steve said @21! JG wouldn't have needed any Uma Thurman cover story if I'd been the guy in The Truth About Cats and Dogs! PZ, I don't suppose the Trophy Wife® would give you a once-in-a-lifetime dispensation for just that one date?
That said, I wasn't aware that JG had been doing anything all that visibly anti-Family lately; I must have missed a memo at some point.
Greta:
Bill Clinton? Maybe Hillary Clinton? Under the table at a state dinner?
Truthfully, though, I think these prigs get their knickers in a knot when anybody blows anybody... so I think you'll have to look for a different "trigger." Sorry 'bout that....
Posted by: Mark | September 9, 2009 9:10 AM
Congrats, PZ! You made an Enemies List. Keep up the good work!
w00†!
Posted by: scooter
|
September 9, 2009 9:10 AM
AAAAugh, you just pegged my jealousy media.
Posted by: Hypatia's Daughter | September 9, 2009 9:22 AM
Why would FotF make a list of "media figures"?
Politicians, yes. Give your devoted yokels a list of left-leaning politicians to keep out of office because they won't toe your line.
But what purpose do they have in listing media figures - which might only serve to bring some of their members to actually go and read their articles, books & blogs?
To me, it looks like a really dumb move on their part.
Posted by: scooter
|
September 9, 2009 9:38 AM
Congrats to the web designers for sabotaging the page, I hope the Fucus Family paid 5 figures for that Intertubal ligation.
The tard is strong in that one, master
Posted by: Patrick | September 9, 2009 9:46 AM
You're not even left wing for fuck sake. They should retitle this "Top five people in the media who aren't pig-ignorant"
Posted by: Sara | September 9, 2009 9:48 AM
AWESOME! A PRE-MADE BOOK RECCOMENDATION LIST!
THANK YOU, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, THANK YOU
Posted by: Ralph | September 9, 2009 9:48 AM
Truly impressive. Seriously, what an incredible honor. (So when do you leave for Stockholm?)
Posted by: Chris Wellons | September 9, 2009 10:14 AM
They've obviously never heard of this thing called "the world wide web", which can effectively display text and images in an accessible format using a set of thoroughly-documented standards, with many different implementations of those standards. Nope, they abuse Flash to do this instead.
Posted by: mayhempix | September 9, 2009 10:28 AM
Congrats PZ. I didn't know you put a crucifix in the trash... but then again, wingnuts aren't known for their attention to facts and details.
SC, if you see this "Hi". I haven't been around much lately. Just an occasional comment and a lot of lurking.
Posted by: Notagod | September 9, 2009 10:31 AM
Which is evidence that christians in addition to being liars for jesus, are more interested in death crosses than jesus meat crackers.
Great and wonderful work PZ!
Posted by: Chris Wellons | September 9, 2009 10:35 AM
They've obviously never heard of this thing called "the world wide web", which can effectively display text and images in an accessible format using a set of thoroughly-documented standards, with many different implementations of those standards. Nope, they abuse Flash to do this instead.
Posted by: SC, OM | September 9, 2009 10:42 AM
Hi, mayhempix! I've missed your comments immensely. Saw a couple here and there, so I wasn't worried, but still pretty pouty. Hope you'll return to more frequent posting soon, but I realize we all have other demands sometimes. Hope you're doing well.
Posted by: Wayfarer | September 9, 2009 11:27 AM
Good work PZ its good to be revelent.
Posted by: Fred The Hun | September 9, 2009 11:41 AM
Chemist @ 156
You need to connect the brown splotches on the banana peel in just the right way...sorta like seeing Constellations among the stars in the sky.
Posted by: Marc Abian | September 9, 2009 11:55 AM
It's a good point, women everywhere need to raise their game.
Posted by: SC, OM | September 9, 2009 12:03 PM
I hope that was a joke. If not, I have to go to work and don't have time for that nonsense today.
(*recalls recent post with P&T segment featuring Sabina Guzzanti where the ensuing discussion revolved almost entirely around P&T's blithertarianism* *grumble grumble*)
Posted by: MAReap
|
September 9, 2009 12:07 PM
#61- They specifically mention that he's an Episcopalian, which is a particularly damning thing to them. We're not "True Christians" and are part of the Global Socialist-Darwinist-Feminist-Homosexual Cabal.
Posted by: reboho | September 9, 2009 12:08 PM
Congratulations PZ!. I read the list of the "blows against the empire" and wondered what they were complaining about, then remembered to consider the source.
Maybe you'll get a bible and a life-time supply of Chick tracts.
Posted by: Bobber | September 9, 2009 12:17 PM
SC wrote:
...whereas a better tangent would have been to explore Sabina Guzzanti's work in Italy, where her voice is not only popular but amongst those marked for state censorship. Silvio Berlusconi's government is a brazen example of what happens when the powerful have too much control over the mass media. When the newspapers and television stations are under the thumb of the government or are owned by those who have an interest in maintaining the status quo, it takes such voices from the outside - comedians, film makers, community activists - to speak the truth. Truly, the only good that will likely come from that particular episode of Penn & Teller is to expose Guzzanti to a wider audience.
If you have some knowledge of Italian, check out her website at http://www.sabinaguzzanti.it/ , and if not, you can still read about her fight against Berlusconi's censorship efforts at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2003/nov/23/silvioberlusconi.broadcasting .
Posted by: Ema | September 9, 2009 12:21 PM
Ooh, that IS special! Congratulations!
Posted by: SC, OM | September 9, 2009 12:31 PM
Thanks, Bobber. I'll check out her site, though I would have to put the emphasis on the "some." Fortunately, at the time of that post I found her movie with Spanish subtitles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zgOM8jbWHk
and have watched the first segments.
OK, now to get ready for work...
Posted by: Ben | September 9, 2009 12:43 PM
Now I really do have PZ envy.
Posted by: Pete | September 9, 2009 1:06 PM
Now, before we completely ream FotF for the cracker to crucifix mistake (or lie), are we sure they aren't referring to a completely different incident where PZ might have put in a crucifix in the trash?
Posted by: BJ | September 9, 2009 1:11 PM
Mazel tov!
BTW, I agree with you about Janeane. She did a show here recently and she's cuter, funnier and NASTIER in person!
Posted by: John Norris | September 9, 2009 1:19 PM
I don't see how this article helps the American family. I do understand how it helps FOTF's fundraising and that is the FOTF's primary mission: cash.
Posted by: Desert Son
|
September 9, 2009 1:24 PM
Congrats, PZ!
No kings,
Robert
Posted by: Pablo | September 9, 2009 1:38 PM
PZ, I think this warrants a letter of thanks
Dear FotF
I am surprised, but honored, to be included among your top 5 "media figures who distort the public's perception of Bush and Obama." I say am surprised, because I don't often discuss the presidents on my blog. Moreover, when I do talk about Obama these days, it is generally critical (as you noted with my criticism of his choice to head the NIH). Nonetheless, I am honored to be included because it shows that my writing has had an impact on society, which is good justification for continuing to do it.
However, there is a mistake in your article that I would like to be corrected. You claimed that I threw a crucifix in the garbage. Although I would not be so bold to claim that I have never thrown a crucifix in the garbage in my life, I am not aware of any specific times when I have done so. I suspect you are referring to the recent incident in which I threw out a Roman Catholic Communion wafer (it had been consecrated, and so the Catholics would call it the Eucharist and consider it the actual body of Christ), along with a page from the Koran. These did end up in my garbage can, along with some other items I threw out that day (including coffee grounds).
I hope, that in the sake of accuracy, you will update your story about me with the correct information.
Thank you for reading my blog.
With regards
PZ Myers
Posted by: Kagehi | September 9, 2009 2:01 PM
I think I will be the one dissenting commenter and say that being impressed at making anything in the top list of enemies of this organization is like being impressed that you made 5th in the list of Elmer Fudd's mortal enemies. Its hardly inspiring to be declared #1, never mind #5, in an enemy list made up by complete idiots. In reality, you where probably 9th, but some, slightly more sane, member opted to point out that the garden gnome on the neighbors lawn, the park fountain with nude mermaids, last nights dinner, which gave one of them heart burn, and a pair of bad fitting under wear, would all be seen as a bit crazy, so they removed them from the list, naturally resulting in actual people ending up on the top of the list.
Posted by: teammarty | September 9, 2009 2:19 PM
Anon Ymous @#94
"...If that's a word."
It is now. Better copyright it before someone puts it on a bumper sticker.
Posted by: teammarty | September 9, 2009 2:33 PM
Larry @# 118
Well, what else would you expect from a Blue Dog.
I'm too lazy to climb back up the list but "Rational Center?!?" You've got to be kidding. You mean O'Same caving to the right on every issue is somehow rational?
Posted by: Rolan le Gargéac | September 9, 2009 3:28 PM
Marc Abian #179
Now there's a man who'd ask for a short in a dwarf bar !
Posted by: rt | September 9, 2009 7:07 PM
The top five of those in the media who are most in the tank for Obama:
5. A biologist who to quote the article “Objected merely because Colins is a Christian” when Francis Collins was chosen as head of the NIH by... President Obama
1. An economist who to quote the article described as “too cautious” moves to stimulate the economy by... president Obama
I too used to be critical of Obama. Afterall, he did overlook rape (including a kid) and murder (beaten to death with a flashlight, chained to the floor, naked, to freeze to death in a central Asian winter night, stuffed in a sleeping bag an kicked to death, kicked to death) by people under unclear orders from inside the white house. He did overlook the massive scale targeting of the private communications of millions of Americans for illegal surveillance. Its quite possible that the nr1 reason he ordered troops into Afghanistan is because it "proves" he is the touch guy so he can win elections.... All this to gain the political capital. Capital meant to achieve crucial things like health care reform that has a lot of trouble materializing in any meaningful way. It would suck if he gathered all this political capital and it turns out Washington only accepts cash.
Anyway, now I am beginning to feel sorry for him. I mean if these are the top devotees of his “fan club”...
Strangely most of the “evidence” for being in the Obama fan club appears take the form of statements critical of Bush or teaparties. Oh and only one of those that made the list of media figures in the tank for Obama is actually in charge a mainstream media outlet. I am sure there is a logical explanation for this though.
For some reason the article mentions a crucifix in the thrash (eventhough its only a statue) but the cracker (which is actually jesus who is actually god) didn't make it into the the article. Bill Maher`s remark calling the catholic church “the bear sterns of pedophilia” did get in though.
All in all I have to say there is some strange articles in the newsletter of focus on the family.
Posted by: Mike Daniels | September 9, 2009 7:11 PM
Much congratulations, PZ!
Truly a mark of distinction.
Why exactly would they want to provide a link to a website that often provides scientific explanations of why their religion is not merely false, but ridiculous?
Posted by: Ace of Sevens@ayhoo.com | September 9, 2009 8:11 PM
Hey, you beat Obama himself. Not bad.
Posted by: Qwerty | September 10, 2009 4:00 PM
I often listen to their show. Mainly to monitor their gay bashing. This morning they repeated a show from three years ago about Intelligent Design with guest William Dembski and another person who use to work at Focus.
As a group that distorts anything to do with glbt issues or evolution; they should be the experts on distortion.
Posted by: JPS, FCD | September 10, 2009 10:13 PM
Better late than never -- congratulations PZ! Are you also listed in Bernard Goldberg's One Hundred People Who Are Screwing Up America? (Al Franken is #37.)
I can die happy if I make it into Goldberg's next edition.
BTW Kevpod: Whether the period or comma goes inside or outside the quotation marks depends strongly on which side of the Atlantic you're on.
Posted by: John S. Wilkins
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September 11, 2009 1:35 AM
The best I can do is to appear on a list of 100000 people who are confusing others in the blogosphere...
Posted by: Al Glover | September 11, 2009 1:36 AM
They don't mention a cracker being in the garbage because being upset over that would be just silly. Funny that the clarity on this issue (transubstantiation) is so well walled off from all of their other misconceptions about how the world works.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | September 12, 2009 9:29 PM
What with having to watch Garofalo every week *and* see the Sainted Jack Bauer receive absolution from a Muslim cleric in what was (at the time) his final hour, things must have been pretty rough for the wingnut '24' fans last season.
Garofolo? Hell, how many of them know that Jack himself, their All-American hero, kicker of terrorist ass, is a hereditary Commie from Canada? Insert this clip in a "24" station break, and listen for heads exploding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqpFm7zAK90
(Via Wikipedia, I just learned that he briefly attended the same high school in Toronto that I did).
Posted by: Eamon Knight | September 12, 2009 10:00 PM
BTW: The crucifix thing has to be plain old sloppiness on their part, not some attempt to make it more Protestant-enraging than a Communion wafer.
First: As noted by others, the crucifix (ie. a cross bearing the figure of Christ) is more Catholic than Protestant anyway.
Second: While lacking the absolute theological ooomph of Transubstantiation[1], even in Protestant belief the elements are at least symbols of Christ, and therefore dissing them still makes the Baby Jesus cry. Eg: bitching and moaning from Ken Ham that I can't be arsed to look up just now about when Edwin Kagan served PZ a mock communion outside the gates of the Creation Loony Bin -- "he will have to answer to the Lord for that!".
[1] Another reason to despise the RCC: inventing a term that's so damned hard to type!!!!