Since several people were curious, the reason I’ll be in Australia next year is that I’ve been invited to speak at The 2010 Atheist Global Convention in Melbourne, on 12-14 March 2010. All that way for 3 days? I’ll probably arrange to spend some extra time on my own dime checking out the drop bears and venomous kittens and raucous Australians out there — suggestions are welcome. Invitations to sack out on a couch somewhere, also welcome. Generous offers of good Australian beer, especially welcome.

The organizers also want to get an estimate of attendance, so they’re asking likely attendees to register their interest in an entirely non-binding query. You know Richard Dawkins is going to be there, as well as the fascinatingly controversial Peter Singer, and several of the exotic natives of that distant land, such as Catherine Deveny, who I’ve admired since reading this column. It should be an enlightening couple of days — join us!