The wild bunch

What a nice picture!

I see someone's indeed photoshopped the picture to get rid of the swirly mask and the green skin.

Now I'm even more tempted to brave the flight to meet the (No Longer) Bride, though. Yowza!

We feel your pain PZ, we had to retire as well...:-)

People I know on the intertubes rarely look like my mental image of them. I certainly didn't picture PZ Myers as having a pot belly.

None of you look the way I thought you would. clearly, I suck at guessing these things. :-p

What's a yob?

What's a yob?

The opposite of a wanker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxwg5UQWTHs

What a good-looking bunch! Not to be shallow, but I haven't seen a picture of a Pharyngulite yet that wasn't easy on the eyes. Probably because they're all so awesome. :)

Gotta love the Urban Dictionary:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yob

hm. Kel looks slightly nauseated. Did he drink too much? Did someone do a Ray Comfort impersonation?

Kel looks slightly nauseated. Did he drink too much?

Too much is such a subjective term. Can't it just be put down to camera shyness without having to blame it on an intoxicant? (in other words, yes)

I certainly didn't picture PZ Myers as having a pot belly.

Perhaps he should read Obesity Panacea.

But he's couched it in a very nice shirt at least.

It sounds -- and now looks -- like you guys had a great time.

I'm disappointed with the lack of wrestling video, though.

So nice to have faces to put with some of the names I've been seeing for so long! @Sili--either PZ has several of those shirts of that peculiar shade of blue, or he washes them with his dainties at night and hangs them up to dry.

So nice to have faces to put with some of the names I've been seeing for so long! @Sili--either PZ has several of those shirts of that peculiar shade of blue, or he washes them with his dainties at night and hangs them up to dry.

The group looks pretty good, wear-and-tear wise, for the end of the convention.

Sili--either PZ has several of those shirts of that peculiar shade of blue, or he washes them with his dainties at night and hangs them up to dry.

Maybe he's like David Attenborough, with several identical outfits so all the pictures and video grade seamlessly into each other.

sorry for the double post, all

Those disguises make them look almost...normal.

As for me, I went around most of the weekend thinking that Rorschach was "Shrek" (i.e. Husband of the Bride of Shrek), as when we met at Chloé's he hadn't introduced himself with his nom de blog, but with his real name. Oh the confusion!

I may have remarked on this before, but PZ looks rather suspiciously like my dad.

I really wish I could have been there instead of studying in Perth, it sounds like it was a great success.

I certainly didn't picture PZ Myers as having a pot belly.

'Tis a wise man that builds a shed over his tools.

-DU-

I also suck at guessing what people on the internet look like.

Maybe it's just this picture, but Wowbagger kinda reminds me of Richard Quest.

Lovely group. I'm jealous of you all.

Happy Pi Day!

Wow, what a weekend! Been up late memory dumping to my ALBee who was unable to come along to the con (one of us drew the short straw to mind the kids)... so tired...
Great to finally meet up with BoS, Kel, Rorschach, Wowbagger, Cowcakes, Pope Malovich i (sp?), speedWeasel, josie(the only one), and the others whose handles my dodgy memory has failed me on - including our Canadian friend who blows shit up.
And, of course, such a thrill to meet PZ in person - and I even got to buy him a beer, so that's the box marked 'Highlight of the Year' ticked already! (unless the Hawks get up for another premiership!)

I know this is completely off topic but I don't know how else to get PZ's attention. Have you guys heard about this girl Desiree Jennings that supposedly came down with dystonia after taking a vaccination shot? Well, as it turns out it was a hoax. Interestingly, she also went to see an alternative med doctor that "cured" her in a day.

Check it out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwlRwGQl5x4

*Hopefully PZ will comment on it!

and this just in...
Barney Zwartz almost manages to fulfill predictions, putting the obvious quote not in the headline, but in the first sentence.

ummmmm
Probably to tired to comment on this report from the GAC, I'll leave it to clearer minds for now.

The fangs! The baby-killing hands! Look at them, ye believers and see them rage across the land being nasty to believers.

Meanwhile in Ireland, more senior clerics found out covering up for paedopriests (TM).

For pete's sake. Have a convention, go to talks, socialize, and it's characterized as "mysterious rituals"??? Sheesh.

Okay, so now I can put faces to the words. This should make your guys' comments even more scathing when they need to be.

Hi Kubush, kinda old news isn't it?
Phil Plait covered that...ummm...ok found it...
here back on Feb 16th.

Hi Kubush, PZ covered that story on Feb 13th.

Of course it would help if I used the correct html for the link. It should be working now.

Ha! It's so cool to see people's faces. I like the dress, Bride.

From the Barney Zwartz article:

Melbourne atheist philosopher Tamas Pataki attracted little applause for suggesting the organised atheist movement was taking on the appearance of a religion "with its priests, apostles and disciples, and this is the worst that could happen".

If that's the worst that can happen, Tamas Pataki, we are in good shape.

I really hope this was just a single quote from an otherwise-excellent presentation. Even so, this is great stuff for concern trolls everywhere.

I really wonder why Tamas Pataki can't tell the difference between a theocracy and a meritocracy? Is it really that hard to grasp the subtle differences?

Oh! Thanks atheistinwa and Foxtrot. It's new to me I guess and I missed PZ's post on it. Thanks for the links!!!

@nigelTheBold: Pataki seems to hold an incredibly low threshold for what constitutes the appearance of a religion. Seems like it could encompass most organized fandoms.

Now I'm curious to hear what Pataki actually said, in context.

Wow PZ you look exactly like I imagined.

Oh wait...

Looks like BoS missed the perfect time to give Particia's goose to Wowbagger...

In my mind, I had thought all them folks in the picture were much younger. 'cept PZed of course.

I like the nice downward slope of heights from right to left. You could almost be data points in a graph titled "Percentage of World Population Professing Religious Belief, by Year."

@#22. Yes, and it would have been nice to be able to watch on the net but it wasn't clear (or, at least obvious) whether that was possible. Seems an opportunity lost - I would have paid (revenue!) to be a virtual attendee and I do not think it would have reduced real attendance. If I missed the links to do so, then I'll reduce my complaint to the fact that it wasn't obvious where to go to see the proceedings.

Totally off topic, but it's a relief to make a comment to an online site and have it actually APPEAR.

I take periodic whacks at ABC News online about their practice of posting the "Freak of the Week," and they invariably delete my comments.

Every week, there's a picture of a deformed baby or somebody horribly disfigured, and an associated story that tries to frame the pic in some sort of compassionate human interest story. But it's really a disgusting circus freak sideshow, with this giant "news" corporation working to titillate its viewers by USING these people who are already struggling in life.

A few weeks back, it was some baby in China with "scales." This week it's a couple of conjoined twins. Then there was that woman who'd had her face torn off by a chimp.

I keep joking in my comments that I'm just waiting to see ABC post a story featuring a Basket of Deformed Puppies. So far, no luck.

And, heck, sorry about the off-topic rant. Just had to vent to someone.

Wowbagger looks younger than I expected. Must be the kneebiting

I must admit to be surprised.

If one is too believe Sheril Kirshenbaum surely all the people in that photo should have been wielding rusty knives and have malevolent glints in their eye that suggests that are about to assault someone with those knives, sideways.

Wowbagger looks as expected (...though the vagueness of my imagination certainly contributes to that!), Rorschach... pretty much not at all (though he does look German), BoSOM I should have guessed but didn't, and Kel... ~:-|

I remember being surprised when AJ Milne posted a photo of himself.

Have you guys heard about this girl Desiree Jennings that supposedly came down with dystonia after taking a vaccination shot? Well, as it turns out it was a hoax. Interestingly, she also went to see an alternative med doctor that "cured" her in a day.

Was discussed at length here – about a month ago, I think.

Looking good, gang! I'm most surprised by Wowbagger because I don't think you, Wowbagger, look anything like the image you had built up for us as resembling Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) or Christopher Walken. And where is Rorschach's mask that I was expecting to see? Anyway, thanks for sharing. :)

I have enough trouble keeping names straight, much less trying to imagine what someone looks like. ^^

nigelTheBold @ # 37: ... the organised atheist movement was taking on the appearance of a religion "with its priests, apostles and disciples...

Which reminds me, zealously faithful acolyte that I am: how did the Great Dawkins.net Debacle Schism play out once a critical mass of True Unbelievers came within morningstar range of each other?

PZ might have a bit of a pot but he surely has stamina: Jeese, Winnipeg,Northern California,Ireland and now OZ all in recent memory. Is there going to be video of the conference?

Hey, did Wowbagger get my goose?

He turned out to be much cuter than he admits. Dammit, BOS probably goosed him for herself. *snort*

It's always cool to meet folks that you interact with online. I'm getting off the rock to meet some again, and some for the first time, in Chicago next month.

And Wowbagger is younger than my mind's eye had him.

Why do I keep thinking Wowbagger got his name from playing too much World of Warcrack...I mean Warcraft (WoW)? Or is it maybe I play too much WoW and I'm making some bizarre Freudian association? :(

the organised atheist movement was taking on the appearance of a religion "with its priests, apostles and disciples

The biggest way the movement was resembling religion was charging so much to enter the event.

Now my vision of them as omniscient, glowing, antipodean brains in jars is ruined, ruined I tell you!

Why do I keep thinking Wowbagger got his name from playing too much World of Warcrack...I mean Warcraft (WoW)? Or is it maybe I play too much WoW and I'm making some bizarre Freudian association? :(

I thought the name Wowbagger came from a character in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged - who became immortal by accident, became very bored, and decided to spend the rest of eternity individually tracking down and insulting every living thing in the universe.

As if insulting every living thing in the universe is work enough he decided to do it in alphabetical order.

@ #52 tradewinds - It's true that PZ has great stamina!!!

Now THAT'S what atheists look like: friendly, good-humored, intelligent, slightly hung-over...oh, wait.

What a wonderful photo! *Waves to everyone* Utakata, Wowbagger's name is from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

I really swear, I thought I saw a Wowbagger post comments over at WoW.com once a few times. Maybe that was a different Wowbagger...

...but thanks for clarifying that Walton of #58 and Caine, Fleur du mal of #62. :)

Utakata, I'm pretty sure the nom du internet of Wowbagger is used by more than one person; we only have the one here on Pharyngula though. :D

It was great to meet Pharyngulites in person - not only the familiar pseudonyms and less frequent posters, but also many lurkers.

Patricia

Wowbagger most certainly got your "present". There's a photo of it about somewhere that might turn up eventually.

And that photo was taken on the Saturday night, by Sunday evening it was all a bit more grim. 4 days of staying inebriated and now my liver has PTSD.

'Tis Himself, OM @4: Don't be silly; that's not a pot belly - PZ is just very, very full of beer.

Off topic: Lesbian blames police for military discharge

http://jonathanturley.org/2010/03/14/woman-declines-to-cooperate-with-p…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35853365/ns/us_news-life/

nigelTheBold:

If that's the worst that can happen, Tamas Pataki, we are in good shape.

I really hope this was just a single quote from an otherwise-excellent presentation. Even so, this is great stuff for concern trolls everywhere.

I really wonder why Tamas Pataki can't tell the difference between a theocracy and a meritocracy? Is it really that hard to grasp the subtle differences?

The quote you gave is a fairly extreme simplification of what was a really interesting topic. Tamas really argued the possibility of religion being a psychological need and expressed concern that although religion wasn't real, it's removal was not necessarily going to solve anything and might cause harm. He also did briefly discuss his concern with atheism becoming "religion" and what that meant for the anti-theistic movement.

I disagree with his main points but the talk was interesting and not simply "atheism = religion" like it is being reported.

I'm afraid I can't remember much of what Pataki said, because I was having trouble keeping awake.

Cath:

I'm afraid I can't remember much of what Pataki said, because I was having trouble keeping awake.

Yeah. It was, I'm told, fairly indicative of a philosophy conference presentation. Read paper verbatim. Take questions. Leave. Rinse and repeat.

Unfortunate though, because the bits I managed to follow were really interesting.

*drags sorry self in front of computer bleary-eyed*

Ah Barney, Barney, Barney.....
Had to get the cliches out while they were still fresh, I guess.
And I note commenting isn't enabled for his post incoherent rambling other then on Twitter, maybe even the SMH guys thought it too embarrassing to allow people to comment.

So yeah, the weekend started out with the first ever Aussie Pharyngufest that BoSOM had organised for us, about 80-100 people came to the Y&J pub, it looked like every single attendee paid PZ a beer, when he already had one in his hands they just slipped them in his pockets, and it ended with him groping a famous young lady's naked breast. There is photographic evidence, PZ can post it sometime if he likes...:-)

Then there was the light-hearted comedy opening of the convention, with talks fromSue-Ann Post and Catherine Deveny *swoon* , and was moderated by Dan Barker. Then we went and drank some more...

Saturday I missed all but the last 2 speakers due to Spawn's birthday, but was back for the business end with AC Grayling and PZ's talks.

That man Grayling is far too clever for my conceptually muddled brain, what stuck in my mind was his idea that religion and science are not so much non-overlapping magisteria, but have a "common ancestor" in ignorance and not-knowing what the phenomena around you were caused by.

PZ's talk was one big party, but he also is a great speaker and communicator, what can not be said for all the speakers there, so the crowd appreciated that a lot.He started off with that Mr Deity clip, and then spoke about how religious scientists, about the fact that plenty religious people are intelligent and even brilliant, but still trying to insert their god into some gap gap( the name "Miller" and the word "quantum" might have come up)
Best talk of the whole weekend IMO.
Then we went to the dinner, spoke to famous people, swooned some more at Catherine Deveny, and went on to drink too much....

From the Sunday I remember mostly trying to stay awake, the talks I saw were from Dan Barker giving a very personal account of his own process of getting away from religion and how a fundie preacher became an atheist, with some interesting insights into the fundie way of thinking and the "binary brain" of the fundamentalists and creationists, and then Richard Dawkins gave his talk, he wasn't wearing the Crocoduck tie ! Called the Pope a Nazi and did a long Q&A.
Religious woman asked him what DNA was, people shouted "read a book" and stuff, but he let her repeat her question and then gave her, and the audience, a 10 minute biology lesson that was awesome.
There was also a comedian type guy on speed on for 10 minutes, and Robyn Williams made a joke that to be a member of the Royal Society, your prostate has to be bigger then your brain.

All I can think of for now....

(tl;dr, I know.....)
Then we went and drank some more....

*drags sorry self in front of computer bleary-eyed*

Ah Barney, Barney, Barney.....
Had to get the cliches out while they were still fresh, I guess.
And I note commenting isn't enabled for his post incoherent rambling other then on Twitter, maybe even the SMH guys thought it too embarrassing to allow people to comment.

So yeah, the weekend started out with the first ever Aussie Pharyngufest that BoSOM had organised for us, about 80-100 people came to the Y&J pub, it looked like every single attendee paid PZ a beer, when he already had one in his hands they just slipped them in his pockets, and it ended with him groping a famous young lady's naked breast. There is photographic evidence, PZ can post it sometime if he likes...:-)

Then there was the light-hearted comedy opening of the convention, with talks fromSue-Ann Post and Catherine Deveny *swoon* , and was moderated by Dan Barker. Then we went and drank some more...

Saturday I missed all but the last 2 speakers due to Spawn's birthday, but was back for the business end with AC Grayling and PZ's talks.

That man Grayling is far too clever for my conceptually muddled brain, what stuck in my mind was his idea that religion and science are not so much non-overlapping magisteria, but have a "common ancestor" in ignorance and not-knowing what the phenomena around you were caused by.

PZ's talk was one big party, but he also is a great speaker and communicator, what could not be said for all the speakers there, so the crowd appreciated that a lot.He started off with that Mr Deity clip, and then spoke about how religious scientists, about the fact that plenty religious people are intelligent and even brilliant, but still trying to insert their god into some gap gap( the name "Miller" and the word "quantum" might have come up)
Best talk of the whole weekend IMO.
Then we went to the dinner, spoke to famous people, swooned some more at Catherine Deveny, and went on to drink too much....

From the Sunday I remember mostly trying to stay awake, the talks I saw were from Dan Barker giving a very personal account of his own process of getting away from religion and how a fundie preacher became an atheist, with some interesting insights into the fundie way of thinking and the "binary brain" of the fundamentalists and creationists, and then Richard Dawkins gave his talk, he wasn't wearing the Crocoduck tie ! Good kindof routinish talk with a long Q&A.
Religious woman asked him what DNA was, people shouted "read a book" and stuff, but he let her repeat her question and then gave her, and the audience, a 10 minute biology lesson that was awesome.
There was also a comedian type guy on speed on for 10 minutes at some point, and Robyn Williams made a joke that to be a member of the Royal Society, your prostate has to be bigger then your brain.He also kwo*ked a little.
Then we went and drank some more....

All I can think of for now....

(tl;dr, I know.....)

Huzzah! Thanks Bride, that makes my week.

May I say your photo above looks quite vampy, always good on a slut. *wink*

Kel looks so young. I wonder how much he aged over the last few days.

I wonder how much he aged over the last few days.

Didn't he get married recently? I guess that depends on how much grief when he gets home...

I guess that depends on how much grief when he gets home...

Rumours of him getting any grief when he gets home are vastly overstated.

I think.

*Sigh* They all look young to me...except PZ, we're about the same age.

Commenting is open on this befuddled attempt, just saying...
Mysterious Rituals of the Atheists

I think they all look fairly young as well. At least, they look younger than the pictures of some of my high school friends I saw recently. One or two at a time I don't notice anything, but when I see a group photo, the age really shows. *sigh*

UNBELIEVERS from across the world met in Melbourne at the weekend for the 2010 Global Atheist Convention. They were undoubtedly in a jubilant mood, and they have every right to be. Atheism, as you've probably noticed, is in vogue.

Hey, I was an atheist when atheism wasn't cool. Except I still do not feel cool or in vogue now. Methinks they are mistaking people speaking up about their lake of religious belief with actually being in. Maybe I will believe it is in vogue when there is an atheist reality show.

But I will not watch that show because I do not watch reality shows at all.

A rather nice summary, including honorary mention of the CEO, is here :

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/celebrating-life-beyond-b…

From Rorschach's link:

The crowd was hardcore. Few gasped when comedians - lesbian former Mormon Sue-Ann Post, ex-Catholic columnist Catherine Deveny and the New York writer, radio host and stand-up comic Jamie Kilstein - blasphemed without restraint.

Few gasped when comedians blasphemed. And this is considered "hardcore"???? Has this writer never before listened to any comedian, ever?

Few gasped when comedians blasphemed. And this is considered "hardcore"????

Sorry, I'm still not very sharp this morning...
I should have said, "a rather nice summary given it's from "The Australian" ".

I think they all look fairly young as well. At least, they look younger than the pictures of some of my high school friends I saw recently.

When I run into people I haven't seen for years, or see them on TV or in photos, I think, "They're old. How is that possible? I'm not old."

Has this writer never before listened to any comedian, ever?

Gasp, you mean George Carlin never said bad words or blasphemed? SWOON...

Oh jeez a swooning Nerd, quick someone get the bacon frying!

That's actually an excellent summary! (considering its the Australian... maybe they outsourced the job of covering the GAC?)

and Kel... ~:-|

ummmm

Kel looks so young.

Everything is relative.

I guess that depends on how much grief when he gets home...

There was the odd comment about how much money I spent on beer, but it's not my fault Melbourne's beer prices are so high... but seriously, no grief. A few questions about how the conference went and what was talked about; though I think she's just glad that the photo of me wasn't so bad.

Rumours of him getting any grief when he gets home are vastly overstated.

Indeed, thanks for the couch to crash on and I hope your back gets better.

Going to write a summary in the next few days. Had a lecture to attend first thing back in Canberra, so I only got home an hour ago. Completely buggered.

Brilliant -- Nice to be able to faces to names.

... put faces ...

Ah, this is marvelous! People look very much as I imagined, but, yes, young. Not because they are so young, but because most people are starting to look young to me.

They're also very handsome (and pretty.) And they look like they'd be fun to talk to. And they look like they're on the other side of the world...

(Wait, what's this on the bottom? I can't write those words? Oh, dang. I just now had to go back and revise this very post 4 or 5 times, just to purge the vocabulary and make it fit the new criteria... My style has been severely crimped.)

After the big weekend, I finally get home and I seem to have come down with mild food poisoning.

After the big weekend, I finally get home and I seem to have come down with mild food poisoning.

You are committing a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy !
Incubation period for pretty much any gastro bug is under 24 hours, 2-12 usually, so it wouldn't have been anything you did or ate at the GAC !
Get better soon !!

After the big weekend, I finally get home and I seem to have come down with mild food poisoning.

Must have been something you at other than at the convention or that pub we went to on Sunday; I haven't suffered any ill effects.

Am still bloody exhausted, though. I had to go to rehearsal last night so didn't get to bed as early as I'd intended - tonight, though, if I'm still up at 10pm I'll be annoyed.

You are committing a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy !

I am?

Incubation period for pretty much any gastro bug is under 24 hours, 2-12 usually, so it wouldn't have been anything you did or ate at the GAC !

Well I'm pretty sure it was the dinner last night since my wife wasn't feeling great either, so I'm not blaming anything I ate in Melbourne.

Must have been something you at other than at the convention or that pub we went to on Sunday; I haven't suffered any ill effects.

Indeed.

Am still bloody exhausted, though.

Same.

Am still bloody exhausted, though.

Had 8 hours sleep, that side of it is better now.But brain still working in safe mode, with most drivers disabled.