Have you been wondering who won the Molly for July? It goes to … Owlmirror, OM. Let's hear some applause for the worthy champion.
In other news, you may recall that I'm going to the Galapagos Islands, and I'm leaving tonight! I shall be spending the next week and a half bobbing about in a boat in the Pacific, 600 miles off the coast of mainland South America, and while I'll still be able to access the internet in a limited way, I'm going to be somewhat distracted. "Oh, no," you're thinking, "Pharyngula will go all silent and boring, and there will be no biological ejaculations from a godless liberal to add flavor to my morning coffee." Have no fear! I could just schedule a blank post to appear every morning, and knowing you people, it would fill up fast — you don't really need me to provoke you. But no, I have gone another route, and have recruited a few guest bloggers who will post a few things now and then while I'm off. We're squaring things away with Seed right now, and I'll let them introduce themselves at their own pace.
If you decide you like them better than me, I shall be heartbroken, but I will be kicking them off on the 18th of August anyway. Maybe they'll be inspired to go on to new blogs of their very own…?
I'll also be handing the whip and keys to the dungeon to Skatje. She won't be quite as diligent in monitoring things as I am (17 — almost 18 — year old girls have a life, you know), but she will be available to skewer any trolls. Don't cross her, she might be cranky about not getting to go to the Galapagos.
And today is going to be spent packing and tidying up the Myers mansion for the housesitters, a job that requires carefully inventorying the beer. It might be a while, especially if I decide that leaving all that good beer behind that Don Kane and Rachel Warga left here last week would be a waste.
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Have fun. We'll all hold down the fort.
Oh, wow. I've got to see that place one of these years.
-jcr
Congrats Owlmirror
Congratulations, Owlmirror. It is most certainly well-deserved.
And good luck on your trip, PZ! I'd love to see that place, and I hope you come back bearing pictures to post here of what you encounter down there.
Congrats Owlmirror.
Two comments: 1, Skatje is awesome; 2, enjoy your trip!
TheFridgenometer
Congratulations, Owlmirror!
WTG Owl!
Have a great trip, PZ!
Now I'm looking forward to hearing from Skatje. :-)
Just as the creationists start heating up the oil to pour on rationalists marching to the Texas State Board of Education?
http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/fred-flintstone-waded-here-h…
(Actually, we're just jealous. Have a great time. Find a new species. Get lots of pictures. Leave no trace. Come back recharged.)
Have a fun and safe trip. Looking forward to your return.
Oh, and do let us know what sorts of beer they have down there. It would be fun -- and good -- if they had some Wasatch Breweries Evolution Amber, but we'll probably have to go to Utah for that.
Congratulations, Owlmirror; it is certainly well deserved!
And good luck, PZ, on your upcoming field work/pilgrimage. Looking forward to hearing all about it...
I have been to the Galapagos. It is a surreal, dream-like place of a wondrous and eerie beauty. Stay hydrated and wear a hat to block out the sun!!!!!
Off topic I'm sorry but there might be some interested here, Fred Phelps is in Toronto protesting a play at the Cameron House tonight, apparently there is a counter protest set up for 7-8pm.
So if you want to give old Phelcher Phelps the Phinger head on down to Queen West.
Skatje, are you open to bribes? How much would it take to convince you to toss baba and Peter Rooke in the dungeon?
Off topic I'm sorry but there might be some interested here, Fred Phelps is in Toronto protesting a play at the Cameron House tonight, apparently there is a counter protest set up for 7-8pm.
Back in '94, I went to the NGLTF's Creating Change Conference in Dallas. Freddie and the inbred clan were there protesting our hotel. Some friends and I ran up to our rooms after dinner to grab cameras, but by the time we got back from the 24th floor they had left.
Still don't have my picture with Freddie.
Have a great trip and bring back lots of pics.
At the risk of making a really bad joke, Fred Phelps is protesting a play about anti-gay protesting at funerals? and the playhouse is on Queen street?
there will be no biological ejaculations from a godless liberal to add flavor to my morning coffee
EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW
PZ, we love you but I don't want any of that sort of thing in my coffee.
Also re Galapagos trip: Take us with you!!!
PZ,
As a lifelong sailor that has spent a grand total of roughly 6 years on the open ocean, I am disheartened by your post. It would appear that you intend to leave the beer behind. I would advise, as a professional, mind you, that you collect your beer and tie it in a raft like fashion. Since beer will float, this would provide you with a safety catch should anything go wrong. Not to anthropomorphize the ocean, but she's a cranky bitch. Should the worse happen, you would then find yourself on a raft of carbohydrates and B-vitamins that only becomes more buoyant as you consume said nutrients. The side effect may be one of two possible:
1) Despite having abandoned ship after a freak microwave burrito accident aboard "Beagle LLMIIX" things are good. You find yourself on a literal party island surrounded by beer commercial girls and dancing to Jimmy Buffet until the rescue ship makes a rude entrance.
2) You dehydrate yourself with the alcohol and dry up in the tropical sun while having a bad hallucination involving Ken Hamm, Ray Comfort, and a banana. Later, you wash up on a beach, your picture is posted to the internet, and we all try to guess what sort of creature you were before the squid attacked.
Again, as a professional sailor, I say it's worth the 50/50 gamble.
So who is going to be the guest bloggers? Dembski? Behe? Wells? Ohh.... don't tell me, I know - it's DaveScot, right?
Enjoy your trip PZ.
Is it too early to nominate Donovan for the next Molly?
Well, I'm jealous. Have a great time Prof PZ. I hope you don't get seasick.
Have a great trip, PZ.
Gratz to Owlmirror!
Have a good time PZ, I'm truly envious. Are you already a Shellback. or do you get to go through the initiation? Actually, since the Galapagos seem to be right on the equator, I don't know if you cross or not.
Skatje is SO throwing a party. I would.
Oooh! PEEE ZEEE is going on a Pilgrimage to the Darwinist's Mecca!
;-P
Have fun!
Sooo... jealoussss...
Coincidentally, it seems Lonesome George finally got his mojo back: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/22/eageo…
Please say hi to him and congrats.
I'm still reeling from the visual image of "biological ejaculations...to add flavor to my morning coffee." Uh-oh--did I offer myself up as the first to be cast into the dungeon by the Princess Regent? I'd be honored.
For us literary folks, the second greatest visit to the Galapagos was made by Stephen Maturin, who would have beat Darwin to the punch if military matters hadn't interfered and if he hadn't been fictional.
If you haven't read the O'Brian tales, they'd make excellent fiction for your trip, if you ever bother with fiction. I've got a big stack of them, and you're going to pass within about 3000 yards of my house on your way to MSP, so let me know and I'll toss them in the window as you go by.
ice
Speaking as someone who's parents were out of town virtually every single weekend of the summer during his highschool years.
Take the beer with you.
I'm still reeling from the visual image of "biological ejaculations...to add flavor to my morning coffee." Uh-oh--did I offer myself up as the first to be cast into the dungeon by the Princess Regent? I'd be honored.
For us literary folks, the second greatest visit to the Galapagos was made by Stephen Maturin, who would have beat Darwin to the punch if military matters hadn't interfered and if he hadn't been fictional.
If you haven't read the O'Brian tales, they'd make excellent fiction for your trip, if you ever bother with fiction. I've got a big stack of them, and you're going to pass within about 3000 yards of my house on your way to MSP, so let me know and I'll toss them in the window as you go by.
ice
weird...somebody with my same name said exactly what I was going to say.
sorry
ice
Flying Spaghetti Monster cookie before descration
Flying Spaghetti Monster cookie after descration
noo Pz we <3 u
:[
Have a great trip and make sure to throw some lizards.
Feed the Komodos for me and for the sake of the children.
(.)(.)
I am now officially in awe of Donovan's wisdom and erudition.
TSC,
There are no Komodos there, but lots of iguanas. Sadly, there's nothing on land there that would eat the children, but one person in my tour group did get a bite from a giant tortoise.
PZ, first of all shame on you for not taking the family:) Second, I envy you. It's one of the most incredible places in the world.
Woot! Parents are outta town. Time to throw a party !
Mmmmm. Mentions of Beer, Molly's, and trips. Sounds like a trifecta. Well, I will have to put down a bottle of the good stuff to celebrate the other two. (I really don't need much of an excuse for good beer, do I? ;) ) The only question is St. Bernardus or La Chouffe? Hmmm. Two other things to celebrate... Maybe a bottle of both? In the meantime, congrats to Owlmirror on the Molly, and have fun on the trip PZ.
PZ - is your trip for a media project of some kind? Are you writing a book, making a TV program? I'm just being nosey...
Enjoy. I'm so envious!
Just a clarification.. Fred Phelps will NOT be in TO.. just some of his minions. After his last visit, Canada barred Fred from entering the country ever again.
His minions have also threatened to come and protest at the funeral of a random murder victim (the poor kid decapitated on the bus), because.. well.. because.
Well done, Owlmirror!
And PZ, enjoy the Galapagos! Say a hello to one of evolution's marvels for me: the marine Iguana.
doov
that was supposed to read we heart you.
Yes, yes, but how do you feel about the Hurdy Gurdy Man?
What?... not that Donovan?... oh... well... [litella]never mind![/litella]
Congrats Owlmirror! Waita go.
Have a great trip PZ. I am super super jealous. Galapagos is my dream trip.
Damn, all these "OM" and "FCD" and "KoT" titles are making me jealous. I may have to start calling myself "Screechy Monkey, FoP" (Flinger of Poo)
Mazybe it's because the murderer/cannibal was a church member and employee
Bon voyage, PZ. Have a great time. And congrats to Owlmirror, too!
Bon voyage, PZ! But who will link to my Paris Hilton posts while you're gone?
(And congratulations to Owlmirror!)
I'll make sure that PZ appears *in* some photos as well.
It's my understanding that one can see some fantastic boobies in the Galapagos.
Congratulations to Owlmirror for his Molly.
Enjoy your trip PZ. In know a few people who have taken that cruise. They had a good time. Bring us a picture or two.
Guest bloggers. Should be interesting.
Bon Voyage, PZ. Bring us a souvenir.
Congratulations Owlmirror.
Skatje rules! (literally & figuratively)
Phelps is proof that karma is a load of bunk.
You can get your own FCD for a very reasonable fee (free).
Bon voyage, PZ. Hope your landlubber legs adapt to the rolling waves. And Lynnai #14: sounds like fun at the old Cameron House. Surprised they let Phelps cross the border...
Don't be jealous of KoT. It's self appointed and it means King of Typos.
Congratz Owlmirror !!
Hope Skatje will get the iron broom out and swipe some of the dirt off the floor thats accumulated here in the past few weeks hehe....
PZ,have a gr8 time in the Galapagos mate !!
Aren't there lots of iquanas there. This reminds me of a line from Tennessee Williams play "Night of the Iguana."
"Tastes like white meat of chicken."
Gratz Owlmirror, well deserved!
PZ, enjoy the Galapagos, and the sea, and the booze, and the lack of spamming nutjobs.
And let's all kneel and bow and stuff for Skatje, who is now our replacement tentacle overlord!
I sympathize with Skatje, I am cranky about not going to the Galapagos, too. In fact, next week my summer vacation is already over which I am even crankier about!
have fun anyway and bring us back some nice stories ;-)
Congratulations, Owlmirror.
Don't fly away into your looking glass.
Yet another congrats to Owlmirror for a Molly well-deserved.
And yet another declaration of Galapagos Envy. However, you and TW deserve that too, PZ, and I trust you'll have interesting things to say about it all.
Kiss a tortoise for me!
enjoy PZ, do u know what boat ur going to be on?? i just spent 10 days in the galapagos on the!!! Floreana!! enjoi
Have a good time, PZ, take some good photos of the wildlife for us! If I can't actually go next year, I shall be forced to visit vicariously through photographs.
Try sending a blog post from Post Office Bay. I left 2 cards there in 2004. One was delivered within a month and the other still hasn't arrived at its destination.
Bon voyage.
Have fun on the big barge PZ. You're going to really miss the skewering of the ignorant fools on these threads. You'll miss the insane folks that come here and end up wishing that the rapture was eminent because the world is full of blood thirsty atheist sinners. Still, can't wait to see the pictures and you know, for sentimental reasons, try to bring some finches with you.
Do you have proper backup for your computer? I can think of some nefarious things that could happen in Customs on your return. Since you are certainly a Person of Interest. Or even let back into the country. Better not go at all, so gimme your ticket.
Congrats Owlmirror!!!
Have fun PZ. This is my vacation weekend too. I'm off to the Norway Festival in Junction City to look at all the bearded men in big horned helmets.
17 year old daughter, whip, keys, beer... this is gonna be fun! ;)
please spend money OFF the boat as much as possible to support local eco tourism (and not the netherlands, who I think owns your boat).
have fun. the galapagos is a great adventure.
Will one of your guest bloggers be Bill Donohue?
Come on! That would be hilarious, admit it!
Jealous!! Have a great time!
Have a great time, PZ & with Skatje here, we shall keep all beastiality references down to the "Bahhh"rest mini"Mooo"m, (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Congratulations to Owlmirror for a very well-deserved mollyfication.
Apropos the various themes of your post, here's an idea I've been thinking about suggesting for some time: desert island OM guest blogging.
It would be cool if you gave each Molly winner an opportunity to guest-blog about something they think Pharyngulans ought to know, or to just give a few pointers to particular exemplary comments that represent their special contributions to Pharyngula. They could just give a few comment links, with brief meta-comments about why they chose those things, or edit together past comments into a more standalone form, or write an essay from scratch, if they feel like it.
Whatever they come up with, it'd be linked from their entries on the "commenters" page, in a know-your-OM field.
I've read many amazing comments by knowledgeable, insightful, and articulate people here. They shouldn't be lost in the flood of topical ephemera, me-too redundancy, and trolling and troll-stomping.
Congrats, Owlmirror, keep up the lulz.
Bon voyage, good professor- take LOTS of pictures! Now that you'll be away, all the fundy-dominionist loons will be on a tear.
I, for one, welcome our new Skatjestic overlady.
Ummm, so what's wrong with a little troll stomping?
Ummm, so what's wrong with a little troll stomping?
The nasty stuff on the bottom of our shoes.
It's OoTD.
I am the KING laughingstock of all I survey!
Well, under our feet anyway. We have many geological strata of fossil stomped trolls here.
Troll-stomping is often necessary and worthwhile. Occasionally it's an absolutely brilliant tour de force that deserves to be immortalized.
I would expect that many of the desert island comments would be enlightening virtuoso displays of troll stomping that have lasting interest way, way beyond what a particular loon or dumbass (or simply naive person) said on a particular day.
@ Paul W.,No 76:
//It would be cool if you gave each Molly winner an opportunity to guest-blog about something they think Pharyngulans ought to know//
Thats a really good idea !(is that me-too redundancy?)
//I've read many amazing comments by knowledgeable, insightful, and articulate people here. They shouldn't be lost in the flood of topical ephemera, me-too redundancy, and trolling and troll-stomping.
I think its a bit easier to pick and choose comments now that we have the nicks first up,you can just conveniently ignore the trolls,and theres of course the killfile !
And hey,without the trolls it would be half the fun !
Don't feed the kraken.
I second Bill Donahue! But start him as Tuesdays Troll. ;)
It has been said many times in many ways, but never truer than today. We come here for the posts and stay for the comments.
Group Hug.
Posted by: clinteas | August 7, 2008 2:07 PM
And hey,without the trolls it would be half the fun !
But it is only fun when it is fresh troll. A battered and bleeding troll is not as much fun. Please, in an odd way, I start feeling sorry for the dumb creature.
So I am grateful there is a steady stream of fresh trolls!
Congrats Owlmirror (just what is an 'owlmirror'?)!
I second Paul's idea (#76). Indeed, that's what I thought PZ was going to do.
Have a great trip PZ! Are you going to set up a Flickr page for pics? Moblogging! That would be cool.
Having spent 3 months studying rats in the Galapagos in the 90's, I can say that it's a wonderful place, especially for the biologist (well dur) and geologist. My only advice would be to take half as many clothes and twice as much memory for your camera. Course in them days, we had fillum for the cameras.
Still often think back to the amazing boldness of the animals. Except for the rats. They weren't that fond of me or my 200 metre line transect of snap traps.
Will there be a Friday cephalopod feature during your absence? I would sadly miss the Friday cephalopod.
I too am afflicted with Galapagos Envy! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.
Excellent idea, MH. That would be cool.
This may be a problem. The trolls will know that PZ is OOT. They will hold their fire, depriving us of our sustenance.
Instead of a guest blogger, we need a guest troll. Who goes first?
ice
Ice9,
no shortage of drive-by Kennys here ever....
Take lots of pictures of boobies.
Donovan (above) is wise.
And I see in anticipation of Galapagos Boobies, WooT has spoken!
PZed, wear sunscreen, take batteries as well as lots of memory for cameras. In fact take two cameras, in case you should drop one in the ocean whilst in hot pursuit of an iguana over slippy rocks.
And have fun!
Owlmirror should also get first prize for most funny comments in internet history.
On the subject of Phelps and Westboro coming to Canada, there will be a discussion on the topic on a local radio station on Friday 10 a.m. EST.
Congrats, Owlmirror! If I'm not mistaken, it was you who authored the LOLification of Cracker Gate, one of the most terrific, bah!, the most terrific example of LOLification I'ver ever seen!
Keep it up,
^_^J.
"...and knowing you people."
And just what's that supposed to mean? Hmmm?
Congratulations to Owlmirror.
Enjoy the Galapagos, PZ.
Note to all: PZ will be bobbing offshore in a SHIP, not a boat.
boat
ship (note boats hanging on side of ship)
I thank you all.
UNWORTHY ME IS UNWORTHY.
(Quick, change subject naow!)
The Galápagos Islands are indeed a nifty place to visit. You might take along a geology book, like Charles Darwin did, and watch for atolls on the way. While Darwin got heredity wrong in his theory of evolution, he got atoll formation right.
PS: Hopefully the captain will not be a depressive and bad-tempered theist. And also that you are not subject to the depredations of sea-sickness.
Congratulations Owlmirror! May your auspicious reflections long grace this blog!
I am SOOOO jealous that you are going to the Galpagos and I'm not. I suspect it's one of those places I'll never get to see and it's at the top of my list of places to visit. Hope you have a great times.
And bon voyage PZ. I recommend Kurt Vonnegut's Galapagos as reading for the trip, if you haven't read it already.
Ah, Owlmirror. Your Molly has been a long time coming. Very well done.
As for PZ's magical mystery tour, being from a land-locked province I can't help too much with first hand sailing info, but if I may reflect on the occasional shanty I've sung with a head full of grog, I offer the following tips:
1. Nair or wax your belly before going and do not get drunk! According to my research, bellies are often shaved with rusty razors early in the morning.
2. Stay away from any ship called the Antelope, especially if captained by Elcid Barrett promising you'll cruise the seas for American gold, firing no guns and shedding no tears.
3. Stay outta the Canadian prairies. The Arrogant Worms/Captain Tractor already control the waterways 'round here, stealing wheat and barley and all the other grains.
Hi, if you'd like to read and know more about the Galapagos Islands, you can find all about them here:
http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com
"Skatje, are you open to bribes? How much would it take to convince you to toss baba and Peter Rooke in the dungeon?"
No, seriously, what would it take? Do you realize the blight you would remove from this blog? Come on, let's start making offers; just what else would it take to kill Rooke?
If I renounced my right-wing heritage, would that help? (Well, OK, I already have.) Please, take a bribe or something!
Wolmirror, congrats.
Well the catlics had their fatwa envy and I now have Galapagos envy :(
Congrats, Owlmirror! And well done!
The MadPanda, FCD
Have a pleasant journey, PZ.
And Owlmirror, you deserve the award, congrats.
(LOLmirror?)
Bill:
Hah! Ok I don't think I know that one, but I did see a band perform a song called "Season of the Witch" last weekend. I have it on good authority that that's a Donovan tune.
Brownian, 'tis true, we don't want PZ to end up as a broken man on a Halifax pier.
Yea, Owlmirror! Well deserved OM. But you realize, now the pressure's on to keep up the good work.
Umm yeah, welcome to my hometown. If you're not familiar with TO, at this point I'd like to point out that one of the main artieries of 'Boy's Town' or the 'Gay Ghetto' or any other of a number of names it gets is Church Street. The delecate taste of ironic street names is not unfamiliar. I've just been wondering how many jokes can actually be made with 'Cabbagetown'.
You mean CityNews lied to me again? *staples hand to forehead*
I really hope he didn't make it in, it would be in line with our hate speach laws to keep him out... on the other hand something snarled up Queen Street as early as 11am yesterday add 45min + to my trip in to work.
"Pharyngula will go all silent and boring, and there will be no biological ejaculations from a godless liberal to add flavor to my morning coffee." -perv
Congrats, LOLmirror.
I hope I notice Patricia this month, too, so that I can vote for her in good conscience.