I just got a copy of the promotional flyer for my Seattle visit, so here it is.
PZ Myers: On Science, Blogs, and Intelligent Debates
Paul “PZ” Myers is persona non grata at the Discovery Institute. He was recently booted out of a screening of the film “Expelled”–an irony certainly not lost on him. And now the evolutionary biologist and rabble-rouser blogger is coming to Seattle for one night only. He’ll be talking about the evolution of creationism and other oxymoronic topics with the same zeal and wit that have made him one of the fittest survivors on the science blog circuit.
Join the Northwest Science Writers Association and the Forum on Science Ethics and Policy for a conversation with PZ Myers. He’ll answer your questions and take us inside his popular blog, Pharyngula. He’s been called a “godless liberal” and his blog posts have been described as “random biological ejaculations.” And that’s just what he says. Others have attacked him for his stout devotion to evolution and probably for being funnier than those he offends.
NSWA and FoSEP present…
PZ Myers: On Science, Blogs, and Intelligent Debates
Pacific Science Center, Laser Dome
Monday, June 2, 2008
7 – 9 p.m.
FREE to the publicTell your friends. Bring your questions.
Whoa. There’s an expectation that I’ll be funny? Uh-oh. The pressure is on.
At least those expectations are offset by the fact that I’m going to be speaking in a laser dome, which is very cool. I hope I have full access to all of the controls; hecklers beware, you could be reduced to a small heap of smoking ash.
All well and good, but “stout devotion to evolution”? Is that like having a strong personal commitment to gravity, or being a dedicated supporter of the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
Anyway, knock ’em dead. Given the venue’s built-in laser death-ray technology, I hasten to add that I mean this only in a metaphorical sense.
Not funny per say, just funnier than those you offend. Faint praise if you ask me.
Lasers you say? Can we invite some people from the Discovery Institute? Even if not, I hope it goes well.
Ooooh, I get all hot when I hear someone described as a “rabble-raiser”. You saucy minx you.
Damn, D beat me to it. Given how long it took Them to figure out that Stephen Colbert was satire (i.e. some still haven’t), having a better sense of humor than the people you offend is just slightly easier than having a better sense of humor than a bag of rocks :p
…hecklers beware, you could be reduced to a small heap of smoking ash
Kinda like what happened to Geoffrey Simmons.
“You know, I have one simple request, and that is to have sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads!”
What? Colbert is satire? You’re kidding, right?
“Stout devotion” is apparently a cruel jest about my weight.
A laser dome? You have to play Floyd, dude!
You da man.
I think you’re funnier than Bill Dembski and Galapagos Finch combined.
oh, wait…
I thought “stout devotion” meant that you like dark beer.
-All I want is one simple thing… and that is to have biologists with laser beams strapped to their frickin heads! Is that really too much to ask people?
-We can put one in a laser dome.
-Really? Well that’s a start.
If you need something funny to say, just open up Ken Ham’s latest book, pick a random page and paragraph, and read it. The laughs are sure to follow!
Just don’t rouse too much rabble when you’re out there — they still haven’t fully recovered from the rabble outbreak of ’68.
I thought “stout devotion” meant that you like dark beer.
Or dwarfs. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
PZ – Contact poster Quidam at ATBC for some GREAT Guaranteed Out-Loud Guffaws from PhotoShopped pics of ALL your favorite DI Sciencey-sounding personalities.
You got your Ben Stein in drag, and various other appropriate poses, but my favorite is Casey Luskin with caterpiller eyebrows! What? Oh really? That’s not-retouched? Well there, you go! Luskin – always good for a laugh.
“FREE to the public”
How are you supposed to support your lavish atheist lifestyle if you’re giving FREE speeches?
#16
I’m a big fan of Noctilio steinoramus.
While in Seattle, PZ may want to break the news about the next Ben Stein blockbuster. Although the story is posted at my blog, I didn’t write it, so I can promote it without guilt: Coming Soon — Ben Stein as Indenial Jones (Sequel to Expelled).
Hey, has anyone read that story about the overzealous South American fútbol fans whose team lost on a bad call by a referee? Fans who, in their quest for revenge, dreamed up a scheme involving specially-made programs for the next game? Programs that were silvered on one side, a side which everyone in the 100,000-seat, stadium was instructed to focus on the villainous referee when he came out to mid-field just prior to the pre-game coin-toss?
Take up bicycling, Doc. I’ve lost 12 pounds in the last month just riding to work 5 miles each way. Saves on gas, too.
LASERDOME: Two go in! One comes out!
err.. Probably not the same thing.
I thought “stout devotion” meant that you like dark beer.
Or dwarfs. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
What about PYGMIES???
Kseniya @ #20:
I’ve read that story. I seem to recall it might be Asimov? Maybe?
How about a beer after the laser fight? We have excellent beer in Seattle.
Good luck
You should have no trouble getting laughs, PZ. The typical Laser Dome audience consists mainly of stoned high school kids; they’ll laugh at anything.
You might want to have some AC/DC cued up, just to keep the peace.
“Pacific Science Center, Laser Dome”
OMLOG! LASER PZ!
“hecklers beware, you could be reduced to a small heap of smoking ash.”
maybe you could reduce your supporters to small eaps, smoking hash?
I think so. Either that, or it’s a White Hart or Callahan’s tale. I’d go for Asimov, though.
To be honest, I’m not sure if I ever actually read it myself. I can’t remember now. I do remember my dad telling us about it, and that it amused my science-geek kid brother to no end. :-)
Don’t feel pressured. You’ve always got us gentle commenters. We never expect you to be funny.
Wait… that.. that actually didn’t come out right.
All I can say is, “It’s about GOD DAMN TIME.” Barring emergency, I will be there!
Darn it! I only get a chance to go back home to Seattle once a year, and I’ve already been back last March. Have fun at the Pacific Science Center.
Maybe they meant the other Les Nessman definition of funny.
I will definitely be there, and I will be wearing my Discovery Institute name badge!
And yes, BEER AFTER TALK, plz.
http://www.jeffthefish.com
That’s an inevitable result of the study of optics.
I will be there and so will Mr. Ednamode– and we will be wearing our Squid Overlord or “A” shirts.
“At least those expectations are offset by the fact that I’m going to be speaking in a laser dome, which is very cool.”
oooOOOoooh…the Pacific Science Center’s LaserDome(tm):
“Did you like LaserFloyd? Then you’ll love LaserMyers!”
Don’t forget to bring the ‘special’ mushrooms…lol.
http://www.seattlelaserdome.com
Aw, man! I just visited back home to Seattle and won’t be going back ’till August. Damn. Well, I’ll be sure to mention this thing to all of my friends there. :)
One quibble: PZ was not “booted out of” the showing of “Expelled,” he was never allowed entry in the first place. (And I still guffaw thinking that they let Richard Dawkins in!)
#20, 24, and 30: It was a White Hart tale by Arthur Clarke. (Can’t remember the title of it, though.) And the foil programs weren’t dreamed up by the fans; they were distributed by the Generalisimo to ensure home field advantage.
Tsssss. The School of Assassins was easy to get in, and easy to get out. The trick was to get out upright.
I dunno, I always though humor was intrinsic when talking about creation science
So where do we get tickets? I shall be there. And I’ll bring some nice stout.
The Laser-dome? Cool. I haven’t been in there since I was a kid.
I will be there, PZ.
I’ll be the guy that looks a lot like you but without the glasses.
Perhaps I’ll order an “A” t-shirt just for the event.
What do you need the laser dome controls for? We already know that you breathe fire and shoot laser beams from your eyes.
The story is by Clarke “A slight case of sunstroke” (not a “White Hart” story).
I did have a very good evening a few years ago in the Laser dome – a late night performance to Dark Side of the Moon. We were told not to bother with the seats and just lie down in front of the PA.
Floyd, crazed sound levels and lasers, what more could you ask for?
Personally, I’m a very committed supporter of the laws of thermodynamics.
When the dept. had an S/M themed Spring party a coupla years back I went as Moses (since it was pretty easy to do with some sheets and a mop for a beard) – but my tablets had the three laws in short form.
Laser Dome? Two men enter, one man leaves!
PZ, remember to pay a visit to the DI:
Paper sack of crap- check!
Matches- check!
That one never gets old.
Those lasers *will* cut through a piece of paper at point-blank range, FYI. (lasers are awesome). And yeah, the DI is blocks away from the Science Center. They even gave a talk at the PSC (with a name like the “Discovery Institute Center for Science and Culture” they were fooled), much to our shame.
Maybe you can pay a visit to your buddy Stephen C. Meyer? I’m sure he’d love to show off his massive, scary neck muscles to you and squint you down real good.
[quote=”shadowfax”]So where do we get tickets? I shall be there. And I’ll bring some nice stout.[/quote]
I will take the stout, but no tickets required most likely. As it’s open to the public, you can probably just show up 15 mins early and be fine.
Bah, I fail at quoting. Someone punch me so my HTML skilz return. (stupid brackets)
PZ,
If you have a moment free to grab something amber and foamy to drink, I hope you can try the Elysian Brewpub or at least one of their beers on tap around Seattle somewhere.
Why would a fellow biologist and anti-anti-evolutionist from Sydney suggest a pub in Seattle to you? Well – my younger brother David and two of his friends established the Elysian and I have yet to visit there, so perhaps you can blog about it a bit for me. Shouldn’t be too hard a task as the Elysian has won the “Best Large Brewpub” award at the Great American Beer convention a handful of times.
‘Stroke of the Sun,’ By A.C. Clarke
damn, damn damn. Once again my work schedule has me on the other side of the country (Halifax this time) when PZ is close to home.
It’s not fair. It’s because I don’t like calamari, isn’t it.
where’s the after party?
“He’s been called a “godless liberal” and his blog posts have been described as “random biological ejaculations.”
Em… don’t they mean he calls himself a “godless liberal” and describes his blogs as “random bilogcal ejaculations” (I’ve no doubt the god crowd will take up the use of the word ejaculation the wrong way. Of course this word comes out regulary in Jane Austin novels to mean blurt out (althugh with PZ you never know, it could just as easily be to provoke)).
Shouldn’t that be “rabble-rousing blogger”? Or am I quibbling? That’s it, I’m a quibbling rabble. Does anyone know the singular of rabble?
Come soon. It is sunny today and who knows how long that will last :)
I’ll be there with bells on! Um… figuratively speaking. ;-)
OK, this isn’t really Richard Dawkins… I just really wanted people to see this hilarious blog post about the evolution vs. intelligent design debate 2 years ago in Seattle, and TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE INVITES GORILLA GUY TO THE EVENT.
http://seattlest.com/2006/04/27/ape_man_man_in_an_ape_suit.php#comments
I (heart) ape-man. I think a dozen stubborn creationist gorillas protesting is exactly what this meeting needs.
I’ll be there! I will try to round up some Biology folk from the UW, too!
I shall be there to welcome you to my fair city… as long as you keep the “biological” ejaculations” to yourself. Besides, the strip clubs aren’t on that side of town.