pzminion
Posts by this author
Monday morning, PST: time for some science with a side of controversy, Danio-style
There's a Department of Health and Human Services document circulating that's got the pro-choice lobby up in arms. Afarensis and The Questionable Authority weighed in on the sociopolitical impact of such a policy…
Fellow minion Sastra checking in...
You know, whenever things get dull among atheists, there are a few surefire topics to spark some conversation. You can always do the atheism vs. agnosticism debate, of course. That's usually good for hours. Free Will perks at least some people up. But bring up a…
[MAJeff here. I'll remember this one of these times.]
Apparently, John Edwards had an affair. I've been out of the news loop and haven't been following it other than what I see in a few blog comment sections. I'm honestly not all that interested in the sex lives of the powerful; I'm more…
Posted by LisaJ
Now this is a super cool new Science story. Have you ever wanted to make yourself invisible? Ever said "man, I wish I could just run away or hide and make everyone go away"? Maybe as a young 8 year old, trying to hide from those bullies on the playground. Or perhaps you'd like…
Some commenters have asked for an open thread to discuss the Olympic games. Your wish is Danio's command.
In the spirit of International cooperation and community building, here's an interactive geography challenge that someone linked to in the comments of some long forgotten post last month (if…
[Oops. Forgot again. MAJeff posting this one]
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More War.
I have to admit, this is probably me being an American, but until a few days ago I wasn't aware of all the tensions between Georgia and Russia. What I know now, though, is that people are dying.
So, for the folks in the know, or in the…
Sastra here.
I'm about halfway through, and really enjoying, Robert Price's new book, Top Secret: The Truth Behind Today's Pop Mysticisms.
Bob Price has an interesting background: he started out as a roaring Pentacostal Minister, gradually grew into a high-end Christian theologian, and eventually…
Here's a little funny for your Sunday morning, just to change things up a bit.
Are you feeling forced to vote for the lesser of two evils in the upcoming (American) presidential election? That trusted source The Onion shows you how you can pretend you care, while not having to vote at all.
Today…
MAJeff here, playing "host" this Sunday.
The image above is a bit dated. It was a poster produced for last year's Folsom Street Fair in San Francsicso. (For those out of the know, the Folsom Street Fair is a queer leather/BDSM festival.) Of course, the tighty-righties got terribly fussy over it…
Just for fun, contrast Nisbet's latest wank-fest with the spat going on between Libby Purves and Richard Dawkins in the Times. (also see Libby's rebuttal).
In her criticism of the Dawkins, Purves invokes a false dilemma akin to that of our domestic framing expert, but I note a conspicuous absence…
Sastra here again.
We anticipate it. Or, at least, I do. Whenever some lunatic in a not-so-happy place in his life goes into a happy place with a gun and starts to shoot at random human targets, sooner or later someone blames it on atheism. Or links it to atheism. Or compares it to atheism. Or…
[[Oops. Forgot this on the first post. MAJeff here.]]
It appears we've got more than a few Ottawans here (Ottawegians? Ottawites?) It also seems they'd like to meet each other. I've also seen a few Massholes (what do we call ourselves?) saying they'd like to get together again. I'm not surprised…
LisaJ here: A new survey shows that 48% of the American public is suffering from a frightening new illness, termed 'Obama fatigue'. Apparently a lot of people's Obama receptors have reached saturation, and we're all hoping that a week long Hawaiian vacation will relieve this little issue. Now…
Greetings, fellow minions. Sastra OM, here, belatedly logging in as guest blogger #4. My smooth entry into the blogosphere was temporarily delayed by my fierce objections to signing Seed's contract, which to my horror appeared to involve some sort of ritualized Cthulhu chanting to the Elder Gods.…
Matt Nisbet is railing against PZ and the image of the Angry Atheist again. In fairness, PZ would probably choose to comment on this on Matt's turf, rather than linking to it from Pharyngula. But PZ's on vacation, and I'm not inclined to be so noble, especially given the exceedingly smarmy tone…
The new Speedo LZR Racer suit, that is. Designed with all the power of science and technology behind it, the LZR Racer is being credited with imparting enhanced, record-breaking athletic performances to its wearers.
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It was designed using the same technology applied to reducing drag on the…
OK guys, LisaJ here again. This is going to be a quick one from me because I'm in the middle of hosting a BBQ, and I'm leaving all of the other helpers alone and feeling bad about it! From reading some of the replies to my earlier post I thought I should put up a quick post about the craziest and…
MAJeff bringing you some 'pod porn, culinary style.
That's the fried calamari at one of my favorite restaurants, The Daily Catch in Boston's North End.
A few weeks ago, the New York Times, had an article on the return of the Jersey Tomato. Now, I've never had a "Jersey Tomato" so I'll have to take…
Hi all! This is LisaJ, and I'll also be guestblogging here on Pharyngula for the next 10 days or so. I'm very much looking forward to the opportunity to chat it up with you fine folks here on Pharyngula, and I hope I can do my part to keep everyone stimulated and satisfied.
I would first like…
Hello Pharyngulites, Danio here in my second official stint as 'guest blogger'. Like MAJeff, I'm very honored that PZ tagged me for the task, and I hope not to disappoint.
A bit about me: I am a postdoctoral fellow at PZ's alma mater, the University of Oregon, working on zebrafish (Danio rerio)…
MAJeff here, and I'll be one of your guestbloggers for the next several days. I'd first like to thank PZ for asking me to do this. I was more than a little surprised to get an email the other day inviting me, and I hope I can keep up the quality people have come to expect from the place.
I'm not…