The New Humanist Bad Faith Award poll is now open for voting. I nominated Sarah Palin, but I think she’s well on her way to negligible irrelevancy now, so you might as well pick one of the others.
Nah, I don’t think Coulter’s feeling low (I’m responding to her entry in the link). She’s probably seeing dollar signs, as there’s nothing like a liberal (“liberal”?) in charge for her brand of bizarre conspiracies and rabies to catch fire in a certain (fairly small) demented segment of the population.
Not that she doesn’t believe what she says, and hopes for it to do well (mostly true, I think). But she believes more in her own importance, and I think Obama will be the enemy that can feed her ego.
Alas, Palin is not irrelevant. If for no other reason:
If Ted Stevens wins his re-election bid — which, incredible as it may seem, he might — and if the Senate chooses to kick him out for being, you know, a felon… then the chances are excellent that Palin will run for his seat.
She’s tasted the national limelight now, and you can be damned sure she’s not going to give it up. She’ll be back. You betcha!
Kyosekisays
I would like to nominate the State of California for being so fucking deluded they think that restricting the definition of marriage is actually protecting religious freedoms.
Benjamin Franklinsays
Can we write in Bill Donohue?
Ryan F Stellosays
What, Elizabeth Dole didn’t qualify?
Zifnabsays
Palin is not irrelevant. She will be back and with greater numbers.
I think Ben Kenobi gave a similar warning.
There’s also the chance that she runs for Senate to replace Stevens. Even if Stevens manages to pull out a squeaker after absentee ballots are counted, I suspect he won’t make it back to the Senate just by digging in his heels during the appeals process. He’s a convicted felon and 70+ years old to boot. Palin’s just got to wait him out.
Schmeersays
If Elizabeth Dole would qualify, Kay Hagan is not too far from a nomination herself. However, with such great candidates to choose for this illustrious award, who needs to vote for either of those two nit-wits?
LightningRosesays
Palin’s political career is far from over, but I voted for Ann Coulter.
Does she have to even run for that Senate seat? I saw commenters somewhere else saying that if they sack the criminal chap the governor gets to appoint a successor (and it can be herself)
I would like to nominate the State of California for being so fucking deluded they think that restricting the definition of marriage is actually protecting religious freedoms.
It just lets them pull an Ahmedijad and declare there are no committed loving gay couples in California. Gay Marriage is the ban of bigotry because it normalizes the abnormal. Now religious homophobes and good ole boy haters can continue to preach nonsense about homosexuality always leading to promiscuity, rape, bestiality, necrophilia and whatever other icky things they can name. And who can argue with them? Gay couples can’t get married, so they must be a pack of hussies.
Zifnabsays
Does she have to even run for that Senate seat? I saw commenters somewhere else saying that if they sack the criminal chap the governor gets to appoint a successor (and it can be herself)
I think the Alaska state constitution stipulates that the seat must be filled by a special election within a certain number of days.
The poll is Briton-centric (obviously, since NH is a British group), making it a little difficult for we on this side of the pond to make an informed pick. Nonetheless, I voted for…Rowan Atkinson.
My rationale is that while the rest of the nominess are obvious whackjobs, theocrats, otherwise Lost Causes behaving pretty much as expected, Atkinson is supposed to be a moderate who really ought to know better. (In Ontario, we rejected a Sharia-family-law proposal several years ago.)
Rowan Atkinson is Blackadder and also one of the strongest voices against extra protection for religions against insult
Timsays
Sarah Palin in 2012?, not quite Nehemiah Scudder, but close enough. (Refers to Robert A. Heinlein’s “Future history” story lines.)
MickyWsays
Didn’t know Mr Bean was on there; I’ll have to go take another look. I voted for Ann Coulter who has to be one of the most despicable people to ever be given a public platform.
Mr. Bean isn’t on there, not unless he was recently appointed Archbishop of Canterbury :)
Rubensays
hmm there’s something funny going on here. I nominated Palin too, so she should have at least two votes. Only one is accounted for. In fact, only 6 votes are accounted for, overall.
qedprosays
I voted for Palin – the cock sucking whore.
let’s hope this is the only kind of vote she’ll ever get from now on. Her 15 minutes of fame is over.
However, her infamy will last a little longer than that.
McCain lost because of her. By choosing her, he pandered to people who were already going vote for him. Let’s face it, the evangelical christian right weren’t going to vote for a black man. But by doing so McCain ignored a whole section of democrats that were unsure of Obama and that wanted to vote for a man with his experience but needed a reason to trust him. He shattered that trust with the choice of Palin.
Palin – a mistake to last a lifetime.
Santiagosays
Sorry to say this, but Palin WILL be the Republican presidential candidate for 2012, no doubt about it. Everything that has happened during the election favours the Republicans picking her, from the fact that a young and “inexperienced” politician can become president to the sheer enthusiasm she inspired in conservative ranks.
On a lighter note, though, I’m also pretty confident that she’ll lose, further isolating and regionalising the Republican party, although I do expect the scariest presidential campaign ever.
Rubensays
Forget that. The right amount of votes is showing now. Go figure.
I think she’s well on her way to negligible irrelevancy now
Maybe not. Since Senator Intertubes appears poised to win re-election but will likely be expelled from the Senate post-haste, there will probably be a special election next year for his seat. If Sarah really wants to be a leader in the Party, running for senate would be the way to go. Given Alaskans’ track record in bad choices — including convicted felons — it’s hardly a stretch to think they’ll elect failed VP candidates. Tina Fey certainly hopes so.
quicklimesays
The state of Texas has got to be at or around number one. I’m embarrassed to be a native.
Tim Hsays
—-Palin is not irrelevant. She will be back and with greater numbers.—-
WTF?!? Palin’s pregnant again already?
JSugsays
I was going to ask why McLeroy wasn’t on the list, but then I realized it’s a UK site. Blimey. Or something.
bladesmansays
While they’re all worthy of the award, I went for the one choice whose lunacy actually has the potential to cause harm directly. Step up those evil fucktards at St Monica’s.
Linguistically challenged though you may be, polluting PZ’s blog with your vulgar screed is inappropriate. Save the potty mouth for turining on your slut-boyfriend.
Ooh baby talk dirty to me.
JBsays
#15 – (wiping the spray off the screen) Mr. Bean doesn’t quite cut it against the others.
Govenors of St. Monicas. The rest are mostly just bonkers. While that leads to all sorts of evil and hatred, at least they don’t want to inflict unpleasant death on those they should be caring for.
qedprosays
they’re just words used to convey information and emotion.
if i had translated cock-sucking whore to german or some other language would that be better so as not to offend your moral superiority?
clipposays
Re #14 and others.
If Stevens gets kicked out of the Senate, the state governor gets to appoint an acting replacement until a special election is held. election must be held w/in 90 days.
I think it is possible and likely that Palin would appoint herself as temporary senator, run for the job, get it, and we have her in the Senate. Then she runs for president in 2012/2016. Which is fine with me because the great majority of Americans recognize her for the obnoxious ignoramus that she is and her nomination would relegate the Republicans to being a ineffective fringe party of the extreme right, thereby leaving the field open for a new and much needed third party that would actually represent the interests of the American people over the interests of the corporation.
Just dreaming? Well that’s what the day after the election is all about isn’t it?
Eamonn, I’m pretty sure you mean Rowan Williams.
Rowan Atkinson is Blackadder and also one of the strongest voices against extra protection for religions against insult
D’oh, brain-fart! Sorry, I can’t always tell British stand-up comedians apart ;-).
Piesquaredsays
I feel it should be pointed out that in the event Ted Stevens is still elected (as somehow still seems likely) and the Senate throws him out (as is certainly possible)… I believe the Governor of his home state gets to pick his replacement – and that’s still Palin.
Further, it is somewhat common for governors in this situation to resign as governor and then be appointed to the senate themselves (by their former Lt. governor) as the replacement. Especially if they’re a young politician with national ambitions.
So I don’t think Palin is irrelevant.
Qwertysays
I voted for Ann Coulter. With apologies to Cassandra Peterson, Ann Coulter looks like a conservative drag queen playing Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. And her politics are dark, awful, and scary. Well, not really. She’s just another big-mouthed conservative book writer who gets pimple-faced homophobic boys excited by calling some liberal they don’t like a fag. Pathetic.
SASnSAsays
As I live in the US, for me it has to be Palin or Coulter. Last night’s victory puts Palin on the back burner for a while. Coulter on the other hand is a perennial source of bad faith, and Obama’s win will only add to her vitriol. I therefore had to pick Ann Coulter.
Aerosays
Too bad Joe lieberman isn’t on the list.
Qwertysays
“I think [Palin]’s well on her way to negligible irrelevancy now…”
Maybe – to keep in line with her conservative creationist principles – this should be “she’s on her way to irreducible irrelevancy.”
Hmmm. Where P-Zed says “negligible irrelevancy” (Palin will be in a state of irrelevance and therefore negligible) I would have said “negligible relevancy”, as her quantity of relevance on the national stage would be sufficiently small to ignore. Ain’t language wonderful?
black wolfsays
I want to point out that the New Humanist site repeats the same error of calculation Richard Dawkins inadverently made. Yahya is not offering a trillion dollars. Under the current exchange rates, which have long been revised, the amount is about $4.4 Million iIrc.
Several Turkish visitors have pointed this out at Richard’s website, and the error has been acknowledged.
Posted this at NH too.
Nerd of Redheadsays
Ain’t language wonderful?
How about the difference between flammable and inflammable?
:-)
I want to point out that the New Humanist site repeats the same error of calculation Richard Dawkins inadverently made. Yahya is not offering a trillion dollars. Under the current exchange rates, which have long been revised, the amount is about $4.4 Million iIrc.
Several Turkish visitors have pointed this out at Richard’s website, and the error has been acknowledged.
Well, there you go now. It didn’t sound credible as Dawkins mistakenly represented it;)
Palin is not irrelevant. She will be back and with greater numbers.
Nah, I don’t think Coulter’s feeling low (I’m responding to her entry in the link). She’s probably seeing dollar signs, as there’s nothing like a liberal (“liberal”?) in charge for her brand of bizarre conspiracies and rabies to catch fire in a certain (fairly small) demented segment of the population.
Not that she doesn’t believe what she says, and hopes for it to do well (mostly true, I think). But she believes more in her own importance, and I think Obama will be the enemy that can feed her ego.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Alas, Palin is not irrelevant. If for no other reason:
If Ted Stevens wins his re-election bid — which, incredible as it may seem, he might — and if the Senate chooses to kick him out for being, you know, a felon… then the chances are excellent that Palin will run for his seat.
She’s tasted the national limelight now, and you can be damned sure she’s not going to give it up. She’ll be back. You betcha!
I would like to nominate the State of California for being so fucking deluded they think that restricting the definition of marriage is actually protecting religious freedoms.
Can we write in Bill Donohue?
What, Elizabeth Dole didn’t qualify?
I think Ben Kenobi gave a similar warning.
There’s also the chance that she runs for Senate to replace Stevens. Even if Stevens manages to pull out a squeaker after absentee ballots are counted, I suspect he won’t make it back to the Senate just by digging in his heels during the appeals process. He’s a convicted felon and 70+ years old to boot. Palin’s just got to wait him out.
If Elizabeth Dole would qualify, Kay Hagan is not too far from a nomination herself. However, with such great candidates to choose for this illustrious award, who needs to vote for either of those two nit-wits?
Palin’s political career is far from over, but I voted for Ann Coulter.
Hawking and the Pope
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27519504/
You decide who to nominate.
Does she have to even run for that Senate seat? I saw commenters somewhere else saying that if they sack the criminal chap the governor gets to appoint a successor (and it can be herself)
Speaking of polls, can we crash this one, please?
Palin in 2012?
http://boortz.com/nuze/200811/11052008.html#palin
It just lets them pull an Ahmedijad and declare there are no committed loving gay couples in California. Gay Marriage is the ban of bigotry because it normalizes the abnormal. Now religious homophobes and good ole boy haters can continue to preach nonsense about homosexuality always leading to promiscuity, rape, bestiality, necrophilia and whatever other icky things they can name. And who can argue with them? Gay couples can’t get married, so they must be a pack of hussies.
I think the Alaska state constitution stipulates that the seat must be filled by a special election within a certain number of days.
The poll is Briton-centric (obviously, since NH is a British group), making it a little difficult for we on this side of the pond to make an informed pick. Nonetheless, I voted for…Rowan Atkinson.
My rationale is that while the rest of the nominess are obvious whackjobs, theocrats, otherwise Lost Causes behaving pretty much as expected, Atkinson is supposed to be a moderate who really ought to know better. (In Ontario, we rejected a Sharia-family-law proposal several years ago.)
Thanks, zifnab
The award should be shared between George Bush and Dick Cheney.
(Cheney slipped up with the ‘unknown knowns’ — information we had that he never looked at.
Eamonn, I’m pretty sure you mean Rowan Williams.
Rowan Atkinson is Blackadder and also one of the strongest voices against extra protection for religions against insult
Sarah Palin in 2012?, not quite Nehemiah Scudder, but close enough. (Refers to Robert A. Heinlein’s “Future history” story lines.)
Didn’t know Mr Bean was on there; I’ll have to go take another look. I voted for Ann Coulter who has to be one of the most despicable people to ever be given a public platform.
Clinton vs Palin in 2016. I’ll bet you dinner.
Mr. Bean isn’t on there, not unless he was recently appointed Archbishop of Canterbury :)
hmm there’s something funny going on here. I nominated Palin too, so she should have at least two votes. Only one is accounted for. In fact, only 6 votes are accounted for, overall.
I voted for Palin – the cock sucking whore.
let’s hope this is the only kind of vote she’ll ever get from now on. Her 15 minutes of fame is over.
However, her infamy will last a little longer than that.
McCain lost because of her. By choosing her, he pandered to people who were already going vote for him. Let’s face it, the evangelical christian right weren’t going to vote for a black man. But by doing so McCain ignored a whole section of democrats that were unsure of Obama and that wanted to vote for a man with his experience but needed a reason to trust him. He shattered that trust with the choice of Palin.
Palin – a mistake to last a lifetime.
Sorry to say this, but Palin WILL be the Republican presidential candidate for 2012, no doubt about it. Everything that has happened during the election favours the Republicans picking her, from the fact that a young and “inexperienced” politician can become president to the sheer enthusiasm she inspired in conservative ranks.
On a lighter note, though, I’m also pretty confident that she’ll lose, further isolating and regionalising the Republican party, although I do expect the scariest presidential campaign ever.
Forget that. The right amount of votes is showing now. Go figure.
Maybe not. Since Senator Intertubes appears poised to win re-election but will likely be expelled from the Senate post-haste, there will probably be a special election next year for his seat. If Sarah really wants to be a leader in the Party, running for senate would be the way to go. Given Alaskans’ track record in bad choices — including convicted felons — it’s hardly a stretch to think they’ll elect failed VP candidates. Tina Fey certainly hopes so.
The state of Texas has got to be at or around number one. I’m embarrassed to be a native.
—-Palin is not irrelevant. She will be back and with greater numbers.—-
WTF?!? Palin’s pregnant again already?
I was going to ask why McLeroy wasn’t on the list, but then I realized it’s a UK site. Blimey. Or something.
While they’re all worthy of the award, I went for the one choice whose lunacy actually has the potential to cause harm directly. Step up those evil fucktards at St Monica’s.
Qedpro –
“cock sucking whore”
Linguistically challenged though you may be, polluting PZ’s blog with your vulgar screed is inappropriate. Save the potty mouth for turining on your slut-boyfriend.
Ooh baby talk dirty to me.
#15 – (wiping the spray off the screen) Mr. Bean doesn’t quite cut it against the others.
Govenors of St. Monicas. The rest are mostly just bonkers. While that leads to all sorts of evil and hatred, at least they don’t want to inflict unpleasant death on those they should be caring for.
they’re just words used to convey information and emotion.
if i had translated cock-sucking whore to german or some other language would that be better so as not to offend your moral superiority?
Re #14 and others.
If Stevens gets kicked out of the Senate, the state governor gets to appoint an acting replacement until a special election is held. election must be held w/in 90 days.
I think it is possible and likely that Palin would appoint herself as temporary senator, run for the job, get it, and we have her in the Senate. Then she runs for president in 2012/2016. Which is fine with me because the great majority of Americans recognize her for the obnoxious ignoramus that she is and her nomination would relegate the Republicans to being a ineffective fringe party of the extreme right, thereby leaving the field open for a new and much needed third party that would actually represent the interests of the American people over the interests of the corporation.
Just dreaming? Well that’s what the day after the election is all about isn’t it?
Cheers
D’oh, brain-fart! Sorry, I can’t always tell British stand-up comedians apart ;-).
I feel it should be pointed out that in the event Ted Stevens is still elected (as somehow still seems likely) and the Senate throws him out (as is certainly possible)… I believe the Governor of his home state gets to pick his replacement – and that’s still Palin.
Further, it is somewhat common for governors in this situation to resign as governor and then be appointed to the senate themselves (by their former Lt. governor) as the replacement. Especially if they’re a young politician with national ambitions.
So I don’t think Palin is irrelevant.
I voted for Ann Coulter. With apologies to Cassandra Peterson, Ann Coulter looks like a conservative drag queen playing Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. And her politics are dark, awful, and scary. Well, not really. She’s just another big-mouthed conservative book writer who gets pimple-faced homophobic boys excited by calling some liberal they don’t like a fag. Pathetic.
As I live in the US, for me it has to be Palin or Coulter. Last night’s victory puts Palin on the back burner for a while. Coulter on the other hand is a perennial source of bad faith, and Obama’s win will only add to her vitriol. I therefore had to pick Ann Coulter.
Too bad Joe lieberman isn’t on the list.
“I think [Palin]’s well on her way to negligible irrelevancy now…”
Maybe – to keep in line with her conservative creationist principles – this should be “she’s on her way to irreducible irrelevancy.”
I would encourage all voters to click on Stephen Green. The words “barking mad” do not do him justice.
Hmmm. Where P-Zed says “negligible irrelevancy” (Palin will be in a state of irrelevance and therefore negligible) I would have said “negligible relevancy”, as her quantity of relevance on the national stage would be sufficiently small to ignore. Ain’t language wonderful?
I want to point out that the New Humanist site repeats the same error of calculation Richard Dawkins inadverently made. Yahya is not offering a trillion dollars. Under the current exchange rates, which have long been revised, the amount is about $4.4 Million iIrc.
Several Turkish visitors have pointed this out at Richard’s website, and the error has been acknowledged.
Posted this at NH too.
How about the difference between flammable and inflammable?
:-)
Voted for that idiot Turkish creotard.
I voted for Adnan Oktar. Anyone who uses fishing lures to “disprove” evolution is showing bad faith.
Well, there you go now. It didn’t sound credible as Dawkins mistakenly represented it;)
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
As of casting my vote, it is a virtual tie between Ann Coulter and Sarah Palin, with Harun Yahya running a distant third.
I found it to be such a close race between Palin and Coulter! I voted for Palin because I, also, don’t think she’s irrelevant just yet.
I voted for Ann Coulter. Where in blazes has she been lately? Did she die?
Pretty sure that Blackadder the First had a brief stint as archbishop of Canterbury. So not too far off.
I really think that Harun Yahya deserves this one more than Sarah Palin.