Quick update

Hai guise!

Because of some complaints that NatGeo is getting about the posts/comment threads at ERV, Im taking them down here and putting them up at an alternate location (lots of you have offered, havent decided where yet, will update yall when its worked out).

No big whoop-- This is NatGeos property and I dont want them getting harassed over our free speech rights.  And frankly, I like being advertised on NatGeos homepage (this is a science blog, after all) so following their rules is conducive for that.

So, #1, if you all want to comment here, try very hard to follow NatGeos suggested guidelines.  I know theyre vague, but do your best.

If you dont want to worry about it, theres always #2, The Slyme Pit, a discussion board graciously set up by an ERV reader where you dont have to watch your language.

Again, no big whoop, but I thought you all should know. So for some content, heres a video of Arnie and his girl after a day at The Lake:

And here they are falling asleep on the drive home:

More like this

Thank you for everything, Abbie

Give my love to Arnie. (and his girl)

Arnie would ditch me in about 0.00001 seconds to go live with his girl. He loves her SOOO MUUUUCH! hehehe! But for now we just let them have lots of play time :)

Abbie, I have learned a lot from your site. As far as anything else goes, all I have to say is *respect*.

Hehe, Arnie reminds me of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier the ex-landlord of my local pub had. Sweetest, daftest dog you could ever meet, in the whole world, he was!

And yes. Massive amounts of respect to you, Abbie, it's a pleasure to engage in conversation with properly intelligent people (I merely fake high level intelligence well, I haven't done a science course since I was at school, and every single biology experiment I did, ever, went wrong... :-P

By Senor Beagle (not verified) on 08 Jul 2012 #permalink

Abbie - I've really appreciated all you did as a forum for free speech and freethought. If the new Slymepit makes half as much an impact as you did, I'll feel proud.

Best, and good luck with your work - I remember the thrill of being a science grad student myself, even thought it was more than a quarter-century ago...

Thanks Abbie,

I have enjoyed my time posting on your site and have met several interesting people online. All the best,

Horace

As I have said over at The Slyme Pit (feel free to drop by every now and again), ERV was the David to FfTB's Goliath. You stood up to the bullies when everyone else ran or stayed silence.

We will be forever grateful, and as FfTB suffers from increasing "call-outs", criticisms, and humiliating sackings, you will go down as the one who initated the downfall of FfTB.

PS - Arnie is great. I wonder if Arnie could also be the mascot of The Slyme Pit as well!!!

By CommanderTuvok (not verified) on 08 Jul 2012 #permalink

FACE SMOOCHES!

By Optimus Primate (not verified) on 08 Jul 2012 #permalink

Thank you for your courage and integrity, Abbie.

Glad Arnie and his girl had a great time together at the lake!

All the best, and thanks for being such a fantastic, open-minded blag host, in the true spirit of freethought and rationality.

Well, thanks a thousand Abbie. Not much else can be said.

Although, those videos? Low blow! I was gonna go all rage and shit, and just ended up going "aaawwww" instead.

Devious weaponry, that is...

By Phil Giordana FCD (not verified) on 09 Jul 2012 #permalink

It is not enough that the bullies have the right to ignore you, they must make sure no one else has the freedom and opportunity to pay attention to you by driving what they deem objectionable away. That is the only thing that is ever accomplished by content rules. You have my respect too and my best wishes.

By Dornier Pfeil (not verified) on 09 Jul 2012 #permalink

I am already working on a 50 foot tall statue of Abbie.

They are done and dusted in real terms. It was only a matter of time before their crazy couldn't be ignored by the wider movement. You facilitated that awakening, and stood firm on the principles of skepticism as they have attempted to pervert the movement. damn good job.

They are still there, and they have a lot of clueless kids running round calling themselves skeptics, but skepticism doesn't want anything to do with them, and hopes that through time the cult victims can free their minds.

Thank you for holding out and staring down the FfTB thugs for as long as you did. If only the rest of the community had 1/10 of your backbone then this hysterical idiocy peddled by Watson/Myers and the rest of the FfTB slugs that squirm around their ankles would have been quickly drowned in a bucket.

Kudos, and eternal gratitude and respect.

Adding my voice to the thanks here Abbie. As far as I can see it's job done with the FfTB crowd. People know. People can now speak out. A large part of that is due to you. You are a true asset to the community.

By Skepcheck (not verified) on 09 Jul 2012 #permalink

Abbie, I'm going to hunt down an award I can nominate you for. Can anyone think of an award that's like a hybrid of the Pulitzer and the Purple Heart? Kudos for putting up with all that crap from the crap flingers (and all us for that matter).

I'm sorry I'm late to this. Thank you Abbie. You're very special. The endless threads were a real eye opener. All the best wishes for a successful career and future.

I am still shaking my head over the fact that a small clique of Aunt Nannies has effectively curtailed online and public freedom of speech.

And they call themselves skeptics, critical thinkers, and supporters of free thought?

As I say, even the fainting couch has moved into room 101.

By John Greg (not verified) on 09 Jul 2012 #permalink

OMG TEH PUPPEH CUTE!!!!

and yes, thank you for a space where ideas & opinions could be hashed out, in ways rude and not. That's something pretty awesome.

By John C. Welch (not verified) on 09 Jul 2012 #permalink

Much respect Abbie. Thanks for staying strong against Myers and his thugs.

By karlvonmox (not verified) on 10 Jul 2012 #permalink

Can't say I've agreed with all of the commenters or comments on the threads but big respect to Abbie. Best of luck!

By coldflesh (not verified) on 10 Jul 2012 #permalink

Me too. Thanks Abbie, for giving people the freedom to say what's on their minds. An honest space. Don't be strangers all youse.

Abbie. Not only advancing the fight against viruses, but battling against parasites as well! (Onchocerca Myersii, and Dirofilaria Watsonia amongst the most dangerous.)
Thanks heaps.

By Michael Kingsf… (not verified) on 10 Jul 2012 #permalink

My thanks as well to Abbie! Sweet Arnie vids :)

Was on the fence about a year ago about all this; then then anti-Abby effluvia rose to the surface over at [not]FtB, and I did some digging in both camps.

Came to the conclusion that Abby's stance was the correct one: encourage people to speak their minds, without pandering to meaningless mumbo-jumbo.

Kudos to you Ms Smith, and I'll be doing what tiny bit I can, by visiting your site as often as I am able.

Sure, it's somewhat of a symbolic gesture--what effect can a single poster (me) have in the grand scheme of things?

Not much--but I've deleted my bookmarks to the other place too.

Much success in your chosen career.

By Bob Powers (not verified) on 12 Jul 2012 #permalink

Hey Bob, look for a post on AT about this, and the other crap, later today.

ERV: I love reading here, even though most of it is over my head. It doesn't keep me from coming back, but I think most of my commenting will be done at the second link in your post.

Hey, Skeeve-- I really will do that--it's been awhile

By Bob Powers (not verified) on 13 Jul 2012 #permalink

May Cod (Peas be upon Him) continue to bless you with the wit, wisdom and courage you have publicly demonstrated over the past couple of years.

By Concentratedwa… (not verified) on 21 Jul 2012 #permalink