PZ Myers

[davo]

PZ has been announced as another speaker at the coming 2012 Global Atheist Convention.

PZ Myers (born March 9, 1957) is an American biology professor at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) and the author of the science blog Pharyngula. He is currently an associate professor of biology at UMM, works with zebrafish in the field of evolutionary developmental biology(evo-devo), and also cultivates an interest in cephalopods. He is a public critic of intelligent design (ID) and of the creationist movement in general and is an activist in the American creation-evolution controversy.

More… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZ_Myers)

http://www.atheistconvention.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/PZ-Myers-260.jpg

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[Sieveboy]

Yayayyuayayyayyayy

[Loki]

I'd travel to Melbourne just to see PZ again. A genuinely nice person whose warmth is infectious.

[AUSloth]

Beauty! Watched his recent Glascow Skeptics talk last night after the god debate in Adelaide. Have been a fan of Pharyngula and Sci-blogs site for ages.
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[Centauri]

Excellent!

[wolty]

Awesome.

[Lord Blackadder]

I'm glad to see that PZ is coming back - I missed him last time around. :(

What is heartening to see is that we look like we are getting several speakers coming back for a second helping - PZ, Dawkins, etc. - which either means that they are gluttons for punishment or that the GAC team did such a brilliant job last time around that people are more than happy to come back.

I suspect it's the latter. :)

[Voltairine]

Broken glass has now been added to the hot coals I am willing to crawl across to be at GAC 2012. :D

[kazzaqld]

Good to hear - hopefully I will get to have a drink with him this time around! :D

[lulu]

Now I really want to come too. This will take some juggling.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Good to hear - hopefully I will get to have a drink with him this time around! :D

I'm told the pharyngulites get toey if non pharyngulites draw PZ Myers' attention, make him laugh or otherwise detract from the time they might be impressing him with their wit and knowledge. Go the kevlar before proposing a shout or attempting a really funny joke.

[kazzaqld]

I'm told the pharyngulites get toey if non pharyngulites draw PZ Myers' attention, make him laugh or otherwise detract from the time they might be impressing him with their wit and knowledge. Go the kevlar before proposing a shout or attempting a really funny joke.

Don't know that I'd describe myself as a pharyngulite but I read Pharyngula so that would be ok, surely?! :o

[Loki]

PZ has just yesterday come out swinging in defence (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/06/atheism_fascism.php#more) of the GAC and again generally lambasting accomodationists, in response to a rerun of the tired old canard that any atheist who actually opens their mouth is demonstrably a fascist (with a capital F and big bloody nail studded jackboots of course). :)

I particularly liked this bit;

The New Atheist instead argues that religion must be relegated to the status of a personal quirk, an affectation or hobby, and that the real heart of modern civilization lies in science, and reason, and evidence-based decision-making. Religion is a barbarous obsidian knife poised over our chests — put it in a cabinet and admire it as a work of art, but don't ever wield the damned thing ever again.

Edit; going on the generosity and interest shown by PZ at the last GAC the Pharalyngulites would have to tie him to a chair to stop him interacting with the great unwashed.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Don't know that I'd describe myself as a pharyngulite but I read Pharyngula so that would be ok, surely?! :o

That's up to you, not me.
I read Myer's blog occasionally and enjoy his style in moderation. The regular posters I have met at various meets up have mostly been fine, but there are some who seem to put him on a pedal stool. I'm not keen on hero worship and less so on the jealous, sulky hero worship I heard reports of when some friends met and drank with the man last year.

[Darwinsbulldog]

Yeeeehhaaaaahhhh!

[Centauri]

... put him on a pedal stool. .

pedestal? :p

http://www.gardenartisans.us/ProductImages/sandstone/NB_French-Pedestal-LST.jpg

Anyway, I agree with what you say. :p

[Worldslaziestbusker]

pedestal? :p

Dammit! Makes me look like a damp squid.

[Praxis]

I'm told the pharyngulites get toey if non pharyngulites draw PZ Myers' attention, make him laugh or otherwise detract from the time they might be impressing him with their wit and knowledge. Go the kevlar before proposing a shout or attempting a really funny joke.
I didn't get that impression at all. I was in Y&J's Chloe's bar with Heather, who had come from Scotland to the GAC, and some others and the Pharyngulites didn't seem to mind a bit that we took his attention for 10 mins or so. He happily posed for photos, chatted, laughed and was a seriously good bloke.

Loki's beaten me to it, posting PZ's marvellous pwnage of Jeff Sparrow. And as I have said on Twitter today, if that's what being a New Atheist is (much as a hate the term), then I'm damned proud to be one.

[martinpribble]

Great news. It was great to meet him last time. :)

[Bolero]

Dammit! Makes me look like a damp squid.
I got it. :D

Also, PZ Myers - very very happy to hear it.

[Podblack]

I force fed him Vegemite. He was polite but sad about it. :p

[Podblack]

OOH, it's going to be 'one a week'? 'This Week's Featured Speaker'! :D