…and this is a 
It's another travel day for me tomorrow — I'm off to Skepticon II in Springfield, Missouri, where I'll be joining a whole group of interesting people. I notice I'm going to be giving two talks (hey, JT, nice surprise!), which shouldn't be a problem. The first one is going to be important: I'll be announcing the amazing atheist speciation event that has gone on without our knowing it, and afterwards we have to run off and breed madly, since obviously the only way an intellectual movement can expand is by brute force proliferative procreation. It should be fun! Now don't you wish you'd registered?
I'll have to think about what I'm going to say for the second talk. Maybe I should just spend an hour introducing Rebecca Watson, who gets to bring down the curtain on the whole affair. Otherwise, I'll just throw together a few slides and do an impromptu godless science talk. That's always easy.
Comments
Posted by: freddycashmercury
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November 18, 2009 7:51 PM
So looking forward to this. Your blog has been one of a few things keeping me sane in small-town Missouri. See you there!
Posted by: Zeno | November 18, 2009 7:57 PM
For a while there I thought your eyes had been scratched out in the poster. Then I realized it's your glasses. The poster would have looked better with all of the people sporting glowing eyes in the manner of Children of the Damned. That would have looked so cool!
Posted by: PZ Myers
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November 18, 2009 8:01 PM
Richard Carrier and I have the soulless eyes. We're going to convert all the others in attendance as our first step in world domination.
Posted by: Charlie Foxtrot
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November 18, 2009 8:03 PM
That logo strikes me as having a marvelously 'steampunk' quality...
umm...
nothing further to add...
Posted by: Alyson Miers | November 18, 2009 8:08 PM
You mean certain trolls of ours were right?
Time for the babymaking arms race; there goes the environment!
What? I have to give up drinking for *how* long?!
Posted by: Islander | November 18, 2009 8:12 PM
With the exception of the goofy guy on the left, this poster makes you look all look intimidating.
I bet the creotards use this to put a face to your writing... The Hitler-Loving Evilutionist/Atheist!
Posted by: Andrew Ray Gorman | November 18, 2009 8:18 PM
Looking forward to hearing how this goes, although I only really know you and Richard Carrier. Should check out the others I suppose.
Posted by: Islander | November 18, 2009 8:27 PM
I love PZ's photo on the speakers page. He couldn't look any happier to be snuggled up next to a cephalopod (I think that's what that is).
Posted by: NewEnglandBob
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November 18, 2009 8:45 PM
Someone please videotape PZ's and Victor Stenger's and Dan Barker's talks.
Posted by: llewelly | November 18, 2009 9:11 PM
And when the skeptics came, you could see the EVIL streaming forth from their eyes, like lasers from the canons of Satan's Star Destroyer.
Posted by: llewelly | November 18, 2009 9:18 PM
First, read Jack Horner's How To Build A Dinosaur. Then, give a talk on how you're going screw with the development of a zebra fish, to create a fishapod - like Tiktaalik , and prove, once and for all that creatures with feet can evolve from fish.Posted by: NATHAN | November 18, 2009 9:37 PM
I can't wait! I'll be there friday night!
Posted by: Jennifurret | November 18, 2009 10:18 PM
This biologist is holding off until after her PhD to breed madly. Let's hope my ovaries don't rot before then. Oh, and that I find a mate before then too. Minor oversight.
Posted by: SEF | November 18, 2009 10:30 PM
But not the protective goggles of someone ready to fire the conversion blasters, reverse the polarity or do whatever else might need doing.
Posted by: natural cynic | November 18, 2009 10:58 PM
As in the Nasty News, the Ancient Accomidationists, the Ambiguous Agnostics, and the Apatheist Slackers? Did I miss anyone?
Obviously?? Atheists seem far better at recruiting than teh gayz.
Ambiguous. Procreating, brute force or just having fun meeting people?
Posted by: Newfie
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November 18, 2009 10:59 PM
Person centre left has it correct.. keep the goggles on yer head, so they don't fog up when you need them.. it's science.
Posted by: TimJohnsonMN
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November 18, 2009 11:17 PM
I know this makes me a snob, but it still blows my mind this is in Springfield. I had friends at a couple of the many colleges in town with religious (and evangelical at that) affiliations so my trips down there did not exactly exhibit the sense of skeptical inquiry clearly some of the residents exhibit. I know, that's not fair, so it's good to see another view.
Posted by: deletedSoul | November 18, 2009 11:37 PM
Tim, it blows my mind too. I'm actually from Southeast Missouri, and I'm thrilled that there is such an event, in the heart of such an area saturated with fundamentalism.
A huge thank you to PZ, and all the speakers and crew from Skepticon II.
Posted by: cag
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November 18, 2009 11:52 PM
Four hours to say that god does not exist? Habeas goddus, or, don't send messengers, send the top guy.
Flunkies like the pope are not enough. Messiahs are not enough. In other words, have god show up or shut up.
Posted by: chuckgoecke
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November 18, 2009 11:52 PM
Here's a blog and podcast of a fine young group of lads (and a lass - she gets to join if she's finished all her housework and other female duties) who are funny as hell and based in the U of Mo area. Their whole premise is Poe. http://allamericangunshow.com/index.html
Posted by: chuckgoecke
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November 18, 2009 11:57 PM
oppps, i guess they're from Mo SU.
Posted by: Finback | November 19, 2009 12:01 AM
Oh my.. a smart girl, in GOGGLES.
*feels faint*
Posted by: MaleficVTwin
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November 19, 2009 12:29 AM
I was thinking of an as-yet-unreleased Stargate series, but steampunk works.
Posted by: Seabhag | November 19, 2009 12:48 AM
@Chuckgoecke the same people who do the AAGS are pretty much the same people who are organizing SkepticonII, and have had PZ on before. Catch up with the times mate!
That said. I got my undergraduate and masters at Missouri State. I wish I could make it back for SkepticonII, but TA duties, and a 16 hour drive, make that impractical at best.
Posted by: sacredchao | November 19, 2009 12:53 AM
Goddamnit. I wish this was like a week later - I'll be in Springfield at my grandparents house for Thanksgiving. My dad actually got his masters in biology from Missouri State. Of course, now he's a preacher, so fat lot of good it did him.
Posted by: CC | November 19, 2009 2:27 AM
Weirdly, I am reminded of Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers. I'm sure that's not a good sign.
Posted by: SEF | November 19, 2009 4:49 AM
Just combine the two - Victorian science and engineering goes interstellar.
They've clearly got the token smart girly. PZ is probably the one with an alien cephalopod tucked away inside him. Richard Carrier might be the comedy geek. I'm less sure about the other two - perhaps a love interest left behind at the base and the boss guy.
Posted by: botanyguy | November 19, 2009 6:52 AM
Springfield, MO is home of Evangel College, the Assemblies of God training camp. Speak in tongues while you are in Springfield, PZ, speak in tongues.
Posted by: MonkeyBoy | November 19, 2009 7:26 AM
I just finished reading the 1997 SF short story "Three Hearing on the Existence of Snakes in the Human Bloodstream" by James Alan Gardner collected in Galileo's Children: Tales Of Science VS. Superstition.In this alternative history story, scripture says that "each drop of human blood courses with a legion of serpents" (which stands for original sin) and humans can only be redeemed through the Virgin Mary.
Leeuwenhoek is tried for blasphemy because he can't see see any snakes in blood. Many people examine blood and in some people snakes are seen (which eventually turns out to be a clotting factor). Anyway this leads to a religious split where the Catholic Church consists of snake containing people while the Redeemed Church are snake free.
This religious split results in two breeding populations where the clotting factor difference is strengthened to the point that they can no longer interbreed.
Posted by: OurSally | November 19, 2009 7:27 AM
My breeding days are over, but I got a 100% success rate - both of them are raving skeptics.
Sometimes life is a bit hard; "but Mum, you said we should always question things..."
Posted by: Jason Sexton | November 19, 2009 8:42 AM
Sure. I lived in Springfield for years and its after I move to the Twin Cities that they have a great event like this. Try to drive by and see all the churches (I mean colleges) that corrupt the kids. BBC, CBC, SBU, Evangel :(
Posted by: Menyambal | November 19, 2009 9:06 AM
Springfield, Missouri?! I live there, practically. How do I not know about this event? I am thrilled it is happening, but thinking that the publicity hasn't ... come to think of it, I have been out of town for months, and haven't been out of the house much since I got back.
For those of you fortunate enough to live somewhere else (most of the time, I mean, not while PZ is in town): Springfield is home to the Assembly of God headquarters (there is a sign you can pose in front of with enough people to make it read "Ass of God"). There are at least four bible colleges, two have the name ______ Bible College. MSU is the only non-god-aligned university, but crawls with Christian groups ... I couldn't get an atheist student group started ten years ago.
I am very pleasantly surprised to see that this event is taking place. Let me go find my shoes.
Posted by: Dave | November 19, 2009 9:27 AM
I wish I had known about this - I have family in Missouri and could have come! Ah well - maybe next year (?). Sounds like a great time!! Safe travels to all.
Posted by: Kevin | November 19, 2009 9:38 AM
Been looking forward to this since Skepticon I when you promised to come back next year! This will be a wonderful time. JT has done a great job putting this all together (and he's a pretty badass guy, too).
Posted by: MrFire
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November 19, 2009 10:07 AM
"God is either evil, insane, or doesn't exist.
Read the Bible if you don't believe me.
Thanks."
Yeah, pretty easy.
Posted by: Dianne | November 19, 2009 10:14 AM
This biologist is holding off until after her PhD to breed madly. Let's hope my ovaries don't rot before then. Oh, and that I find a mate before then too
You could solve both problems at once by reproducing via either cloning or oocyte fusion (using both oocytes from yourself): reproduction and if you can't get a thesis out of that you're just not trying.
Posted by: Ron Sullivan | November 19, 2009 10:15 AM
If you meet any 300-year-old freshwater mussels, tell them Joe and I said Hello.
Posted by: Dianne | November 19, 2009 10:27 AM
afterwards we have to run off and breed madly
I've got to quit work and become a slacker. Work is making me miss ALL the good orgies.
Posted by: lose_the_woo
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November 19, 2009 12:04 PM
That poster somehow reminds me of Ghostbusters.
Posted by: Tammy | November 19, 2009 1:04 PM
Single atheists interested in SCIENCE? SIGN ME UP!
Posted by: Jonathan of Springfield | November 19, 2009 2:46 PM
Woot!
Posted by: Menyambal | November 19, 2009 3:11 PM
If anybody wants to read the Springfield paper's article about Skepticon II, the link is here. You might find some of the commenters amusing, but you'll need to register if you want to comment.
Posted by: will von wizzlepig | November 19, 2009 4:46 PM
Event in Portland Oregon, please!
We have got some serious beer here. Better plan for a 4-day weekend. That is reason enough to have some kind of event to bring PZ here.
"Pushing the envelope of Poe's law with the girls from Union Jack's at the Horse Brass"
"Tour of Laika guided by Robin Ator in a Cthulu outfit, followed by Squid-stripper-oke at Devil's Point."
"Try all 110 taps at Henry's whilst singing Darwin-themed Christmas carols"
Posted by: Wilma | November 20, 2009 1:50 AM
will von wizzlepig @ 43
Did the atheist ads ever appear on buses in Portland? If they did, what was the community's response?
http://www.unitedstatesatheists.com/
Posted by: Menyambal | November 21, 2009 12:24 PM
I didn't get the the Skepticon last night, so I can't report on it.
Hey there, all you Christians who think we worship PZ. The man himself was in town, and I didn't go fawn on him, I stayed home for a quiet evening with my family.
I did drive around MSU campus this morning while running errands. The campus is also hosting a powwow, and I saw five oriental folks and one woman in a Muslim headscarf. It must be godless weekend at the dear old alma mater.
Posted by: baju
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February 1, 2010 12:06 PM
ime for the babymaking arms race; there goes the environment!