Distracted at #scio2010

I am going against the herd here at ScienceOnline 2010 — I am not tweeting and blogging throughout the event, but am just sitting back and enjoying the talks, while all the nerds are pounding away at their keyboards. (Note sneaky implication that I am not a nerd with the rest of 'em.)

However, I did just do my interview with Reddit, so it's all recorded and done with and merely awaiting editing and publishing. It will probably be available online on Tuesday — be patient, I'll put up a link when it is available.

I will remind you also that tonight at 9pm EST I'll be helping to raise money for relief in New Orleans by battling a preacher on BlogTV. This is a great sacrifice for me, since I'll be dragging myself away from the bar and the lively group of people here at SciOnline to answer a pile of questions from a well-meaning but entirely delusional fellow. Tune in, cheer and howl, and kick in a few bucks if you can to the effort.

I'll be back in action tomorrow.

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A small mob of atheist students (and a confused, deluded mob of hapless Christians) are going to be making a trip to New Orleans to help rebuild homes. This is a wonderful idea, and I commend all of the students, even the misled theistic ones, for making the effort. However, they need money to…
OK, I posted a lot of pictures of Belgrade and my Mom's food so far, but the real business was on Tuesday, when I gave two talks about Open Access, PLoS, Science 2.0, the future of the scientific paper, Open Notebook Science and science blogging. In the morning, I gave a talk in the gallery of the…
The conference is only a week away!!!!! I have introduced the participants, and the Program over the past couple of months (there's a little bit more to come). Today, we'll go into the night....the dark side! There are three evenings during the meeting, thus three evening events for participants.…
The conference is only a couple of days away!!!!! I have introduced the participants, and the Program over the past couple of months on my blog. Today, we'll go into the night....the dark side! There are three evenings during the meeting, thus three evening events for participants. Importantly,…

I'll be back in action tomorrow.

Gasp, only the one post today? Must calm nerves...

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

Poor PZ. You're going to be bored to tears because 99% of the preacher's comments and questions will be stuff you've heard before ad nauseam. (The other 1% will consist of original random arrangements of misunderstood and misremembered scientific terms. The most robust of these mutations will be hardy enough to survive as new entries in the creationist lexicon of blunt but specious weapons.)

Is this the best time to be fund raising for New Orleans? Those folks aren't pinned under a slab or anything. Just saying...

BS

By Blind Squirrel FCD (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

PZ you are so busted LOL....not blogging

By mattincinci (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

(Note sneaky implication that I am not a nerd with the rest of 'em.)

But why would it be a bad thing to be a nerd with the rest of 'em? Nerditude is cool!

By alysonmiers (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

battling a preacher on BlogTV

Ah, so now we'll see you shirtless.

By Naked Bunny wi… (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

Naked Bunny,
I don't think anyone wants to see me or PZ shirtless. The idea is to get people to watch and donate, not scare them. :)

And, PZ, I'm only delusional when it comes to my belief that my cat actually cares what I think. Other than that...

By The Thomas Society (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

As much as I like to think that being a "nerd" has become "cool" in my lifetime, perhaps the more accurate explanation is that the term has merely been subtly redefined for marketing purposes.

Think about it - the modern image of nerds involves a whole lot of "gadgets". Nerds are seen on TV talking about the latest computer gear, or mobile phone, or some other thing to be *bought*. How often do you seen these nerds talking about getting by on a five year old Thinkpad or Macbook? Or that they simply don't have much need for a mobile phone? Or using non-glamorous, non-mainstream gear, like HAM radio?

This might just be the rant of an anti-social old-school nerd who's unhappy with the way the "kids" of today treat technology. But I do think the whole nerd/geek label has been exploited by marketers

I am not a nerd with the rest of 'em.

BwaHaHAHAHAhahahaheheheheheeeehee.

Nerd.

By cousinavi (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

@The Thomas Society:

And, PZ, I'm only delusional when it comes to my belief that my cat actually cares what I think. Other than that...

Cats most certainly do not care what you or anyone else thinks. However, successfully living with one requires the soft delusion that they care, in the same sense that it may be a delusion that the universe is understandable and thus predictable yet it's the only operable delusion.

By Brownian, OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

Of course you're not a nerd, PZ!! You're a geek!!!

By lordshipmayhem (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

How often do you seen these nerds talking about getting by on a five year old Thinkpad or Macbook?

Not all us nerds are up to date. I just put a new PRAM battery in a 9 year old G4 Mac. It's for the Redhead's use, if she ever decides the mouse won't bite, after I finally upgraded from it last summer.

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

(Note sneaky implication that I am not a nerd with the rest of 'em.)

Ooooh, look at you, all tough all of a sudden. Take the man out of his lab and he's instantly transformed into jockboy. I'll have you know nerds and geeks are very sexy.

I've got a serious thing for men in glasses. (well, actually, now that I'm back on the market after 8 years I'll settle for a man with a pulse)

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

Am I a bird nerd or a garden geek? Can't decide, can't decide.

Meanwhile, if these boyos won't go topless, I propose a pie fight.

Ron Sullivan
http://toad.faultline.org

By https://www.go… (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

It's for the Redhead's use, if she ever decides the mouse won't bite

If the mouse does bite then this is where the cat comes in. I'll be happy to rent my cat reasonably cheaply if the need arises.

By 'Tis Himself, OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

The cat probably doesn't care what I think, but at least he's better company than that stupid git Rimmer !

I'd be a little surprised if the sign on the car in Newfie's image is legal. It looks like if the wind catches that sign right it'd get ripped off of the car and possibly do some major damage to whoever is driving behind.

Battling a preacher? Yippee! Is this a cage-fight?

By Happy Tentacles (not verified) on 16 Jan 2010 #permalink

What about the retro geeks?
Ah, the giddy joy of finding an ancient computer with Windows 3.1 on it in the trash to discover that it's in nearly perfect condition and will do everything I tell it to so long as I don't stress it beyond its capabilities, unlike certain OTHER machines I've met (I'm talking to you, WinME frankenputer monstrosity)

@The Thomas Society

wow, you are a boring Christian. And I mean that in the nicest sense. You're almost too sensible. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_myth_theory

once you realize that Saul's vision was a construct for some messianic jews, and he was just the L.Ron Hubbard, Joesph Smith, et. al. of his day, the shackles of myth will fall. Hats off for keeping it going for 2 millenia though, that's not too shabby, eh?

If it's in the Sigma Xi building again, tippy-toe upstairs and take a look at the beautiful framed covers of American Scientist magazine.

Aww, you left the banquet too early. You missed the cuttlefish porn video!

Is this blogtv event archived anywhere?

By SmilingSkeptic (not verified) on 18 Jan 2010 #permalink