I seem to have spent a lot of time at the Global Atheist Conference with cameras pointed at me. Below the fold I’ve thrown in a sampling of photos from Michael Barnett, Melinda Kelly, and Philip Costley — just to show you all that we did have a good time.
Here are a few from the Pharyngufest that Bride of Shrek held at a local pub.
Hello, Macalpines!
There’s Chloe, hovering over my shoulder and tastefully blurred out.
This young lady had the most amazing Scottish accent, and had flown all the way here without telling her father (I wagged my finger a bit). She made me wear the hat.
Cath let me hug her squid.
This is a shot of the giant screen taken while I was talking. I’m thinking…Apple 1984 commercial.
Come to godlessness, all ye faithless!
Actually, most of the people weren’t that interested in photographing me, it was the tie.
Oh, yes, we did have one pathetic creationist hovering about outside the doors, with this sign claiming Dawkins was afraid to debate. This guy was affiliated with Carl Wieland and Creation Ministries, I think. He was an idiot.
I did get my picture taken with him. He’s holding a bible. I’m sending a message to Carl.
I did ask this maroon to tell me what he thought was the best evidence for creationism, of the sort that would convince a scientist. His answer? Irreducible complexity. I gave him my quick reply — that natural processes have been demonstrated to be entirely capable of generating irreducibly complex pathways (I suggested he look up Hermann Muller—it’s an old dead argument). And then I left him to rot in his ignorance.
By popular request, here’s a sharper photo of Chloe, with some silly jerk getting in the way.
PZ Myers says
By the way, the clutter in the background in the last photo is the Polly Woodside, a lovely old sailing ship docked behind the convention center.
Sven DiMilo says
I heard that being photographed takes a piece of your soul.
IaMoL says
Well, Cath is as sweet faced as I imagined. Yay. More pictures please.
Caine, Fleur du mal says
Hahahaha, love your message to Carl. Succinct. Fab photos, *waves to Cath. :D
Rorschach says
If PZ did in fact have a soul and a piece was taken away for every photo the poor man had taken of himself, there wouldn’t be much of it left after this weekend…:-)
The endless patience he showed was very impressive.
I missed the Creationist !!
Glen Davidson says
How do you think people become atheists?
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Kel, OM says
Still no photo of PZ and Chloe?
martinpribble says
I also have some photos of you there PZ with the creationist. I felt sorry for his kids who were scared by the mob, and at one stage, while the Mum was holding up the sign telling us to repent, their youngest child was SCREAMING from the stroller.
There is no hope for those kids.
cpsmith says
Good photos. I’m a little worried about the one with the squid though. How are you going to keep up your mean, nasty atheist image with pictures like that floating about?
martinpribble says
PS: Crockoduck Tie FTW
justagreenie says
All very cute PZ, but I’m guessing Anthony Grayling had even more photos taken than you. Perhaps if you changed your hair colour …?
David Horton
Rachel Bronwyn says
The hat is fantastic.
kiyaroru says
It is a well-known-fact(TM) that the soul(TM) continually self-replicates. Like sperm or sourdough.
Thanks for the HTML hint, but I still can’t make a (TM).
Prometheus says
I think we only have to worry about PZ soul when that eternal image on the lefthand sidebar starts aging.
ozatheist.wordpress.com says
The look on your face PZ when he answered “Irreducible Complexity” was priceless. :)
MrFire says
PZ gets points for the winning gesture, the creo gets points for wackier beard. It goes to overtime, where the creo gets zapped by a poorly-aiming God.
eNeMeE says
Thanks for the HTML hint, but I still can’t make a (TM).
Try here.
™
Caine, Fleur du mal says
kiyaroru:
Just type & trade (with no space) directly after (no space) the word you want&trade attached to.
Kel, OM says
A paper is here if he’s having trouble finding it.
WowbaggerOM says
Dammit, I’m annoyed I didn’t think ahead and book an earlier flight so I could be part of the pre-conference gathering.
Fil says
Enough with the godless horde already….more Chloe. ;-)
melinda.a.kelly says
GAH!! Quick reordering of my pictures! :) Cheers,
Mel
butterflyfishhm says
Hey Theists! Dawkins has debated so many Biblical creationists that he’s bored now. But congratulations on being shut down by PZ in person. You should feel honored.
Bride of Shrek OM says
Yeah dammit Wowbagger, we’re annoyed you didn’t either. Me, on the other hand, I’m annoyed I didn’t leave on the Monday. It was just weird leaving straight away on Sunday, getting hom late and then back into “normal” life on Monday morning. Too much important stuff happened over the weekend and I needed more time to get my head around it all.
Rorschach says
Another day, another cliche piece from our friend Barney today.
Found this gem tho in the comments :
:D
bloodtoes says
PZ looks really young in the first pic, if you look passed the grey beard.
The Silent Moose of Doom says
Ech.
I had to stay as far away from possible from the creationists outside. Seeing people drag their kids along to that kind of protest and ignore them when they’re upset/cold/hungry sends me from zero to towering rage in about three seconds.
I’m glad that PZ went over for a chat, though.
melinda.a.kelly says
martinpribble – I didn’t notice until I was walking away the kids the cretonist was using for emotional blackmail. Wanted to slap her silly. Stupid bint.
Caine, Fleur du mal says
Rorschach Quoth:
Oy. This reminds me of all the folks at Rapture Ready who are continually baffled as to why God didn’t mention America in the bible. They make up some…inventive reasons.
squelart says
I’m still bitter that I didn’t get an answer from the organizers about being allowed to use a camera, until after the tickets were sold out!
Oh well, I’ll know for next time…
skeptical scientist says
The one with you and the squid is awfully cute.
pcarini says
I like the top picture because PZ looks a bit like a cardboard cutout that the others are posing next to.
Janine, Mistress Of Foul Mouth Abuse, OM says
So that is the person who fired the first shot.
Cath, I kid. I also avoided saying the more obvious statement.
PZ, shouldn’t that gesture also be banned this week?
‘Waves both of her middle fingers at the screen.’
speedweasel says
Did anyone else notice speedweasel loitering in the top left of the first photo?
Theatrix says
I encountered these creationists on my way out after getting my GSOE signed by Richard Dawkins.
They were packing up to leave, but I asked the woman if they were intending on home schooling their kids – after deferring to her husband for advice(!) she said they would be. I asked her if they’d be teaching evolution to them. She mumbled something about teaching “the truth”.
Those kids have no hope :(
speedweasel says
Actually, I didn’t notice before but I’m in more of those photos than anyone except PZ. Who was stalking me!?
Oh, and based on our small sample size I can confidently predict that all Scottish atheists are Slammin’ HottiesTM whilst all Australian creationists look like they are about to hunt you for sport then hide your body somewhere on their farm.
theKerouacCat says
Lovely bird there in the last photo, PZ.
Also, what’s with the creationist’s beard? Methinks he was trying to outbeard you.
Obviously, he failed.
askegg.myopenid.com says
See the guy whose head is covering the creationist’s sign in the second last photo? That’s me :)
Although the last picture suggests PZ might not really be that nice, in my brief exchange with him he’s a perfect gentleman. I guess he reserves his ire for idiots.
Rorschach says
:D :D :D
I spotted you on those pics too btw !!!
After there were several Godwin’s already on the thing I linked to above, here is the bestest comment evah :
FTW !!!
speedweasel says
Hope springs eternal but those kids have no ‘chance’
askegg.myopenid.com says
Oh – I meant to say I had a chat with his two daughters. Nice kids, about the same age as mine. The conversation went like this:
Kid: “Do you think you are an atheist?”
Me: “Yes, I think I am”
Kid: “Do you think I am an atheist?”
Me: “I do not know – what do YOU think?”
Kid: “My name is charity.”
Really – What hope do they have?
applescrapple says
How about some unblurred pictures of chloe?
Cynicide says
Hi PZ,
I was at the conference on the weekend and I ambushed you on Friday evening to say hello. It was quite good of you to make yourself so available during the conference, I can imagine you may not have had much time to yourself.
The photographs with the fundies are quite amusing but I do find it a bit sad that these people were wasting their time this weekend when they might have been spending it doing something nice with their children.
It did cross my mind to borrow from Robyn William’s talk and try to convince them that “death” is a left-wing plot to generate research grants though.
Phasic says
I was annoyed I missed the sign guy. I did get a pic of the random attendee dressed as Jesus, though. He was chatting to a guy wearing fluffy devil horns and eating an apple.
But it really was great to meet everyone. Bride of Shrek and Wowbagger and Rorschach and speedweasel and Kel and everyone else whose names failed to embed in my overexcited brain. They were all so nice, and generously tolerated my chardonnay-fueled ranting and geekouts. And PZ let me wear the crocoduck tie! Charlie Foxtrot better get on to emailing me his pics, or I’m going to get on his case.
Meanwhile, media coverage has been as expected. Blah.
kiyaroru says
eNeMeE and Caine
Thanks.&trade©®
This is a piece of cake!
The last time I “programmed” a computer, it was an Apple IIe, in Basic. I wrote a program to sort approx. 300 records. It took 14 hours. This is why I have spent the subsequent 30 years as an archaeologist.
Bride of Shrek OM says
Speedweasel
…and almost all of them youre propping up the bar in.
Thought that was my job.
Kel, OM says
I really should get the pics off my camera sometime soon.
Caine, Fleur du mal says
Kiyaroru, if you use Firefox, the Text Formatting Toolbar is a great add on. Does HTML and BBcode.
Mike Wagner says
There really should be a way to buy Crocoduck ties. And the proceeds can go towards buying proper textbooks for Texas schoolkids.
Or at least funding smart people to run in the BOE elections.
Phasic says
We must owe PZ a new liver after that weekend. But worth every penny.
Rorschach says
Link
Mine is on its way !
jcmartz.myopenid.com says
Looks like you were having fun. BTW, I like the beanie, the squid, and the crocoduck tie.
<sarcasm>Look! All those evil atheists!</sarcasm>
aratina cage says
OMS(pam)! That last photo is too awesome. I love it, just love it!
aratina cage says
Uhm… #53 was submitted before I knew The Grope of Chloe had been added to the bottom of the post. That’ll teach me to comment without a refresh.
arthwollipot says
See, this is why I rarely comment. By the time I see the post, there’s already a long list of comments.
Oh well. Here’s my photos:
http://tinyurl.com/yjdkcvj
Caine, Fleur du mal says
arthwollipot:
That shouldn’t stop you; it doesn’t stop anyone else!
mikeybear69 says
Thanks for the mention PZ. I’ve got more photos to come. Will let you know when I get them up.
Michael B. (Mikey Bear)
The Silent Moose of Doom says
arthwollipot #55:
I just caught sight of myself in one of your foyer photos. Ack. Diet time.
MadScientist says
Some people find Chloe offensive – I often wonder what species they are. If anything is offensive it should be the lack of detail. I always cringe at the thought of that painting being so exposed to vandalism though.
WowbaggerOM says
Phasic wrote:
Darn* straight. And good to see you posting more, Phasic; spending time with a few of us SIWOTI-tragics must’ve rubbed off on you…
*I do like that word.
Kobra says
Wait, I see a problem with one of those pictures that can only be solved with 20 seconds in photoshop!
There we go.
Caine, Fleur du mal says
Kobra, please just post a link – that’s making the thread hang for half an eternity for me, and I’m on dial-up already.
Kobra says
@62: Sorry, I forgot that dial-up even existed.
Caine, Fleur du mal says
I wish I could forget! I’ll be moving to satellite this Spring. :)
askegg.myopenid.com says
Kobra, you just put “200-proof human stupidity” on my mind.
(that’s my head you shopped).
Kobra says
@65: Does teh stoopid burn?
askegg.myopenid.com says
I have installed self correcting science in my brain, so it’s not an issue.
Lastly, here are some of the photos I took.
Egaeus says
You know, if that moron had actually read The God Delusion, he would know why Dawkins doesn’t debate creationists.
Cath the Canberra Cook says
Hurrah, I can sign in again! It’s been broken for me since the Euphemism Week post.
Thank you for the compliment, IaMoL. I always think that I am horrendously unphotogenic. But aren’t I scary! Grrr, I say, grr and even aargh!
Ichthyic says
Kiyaroru, if you use Firefox, the Text Formatting Toolbar is a great add on. Does HTML and BBcode.
or, if you prefer the rt-click with format options instead of a toolbar, you can use (along with the toolbar, if u wish) this:
BBCodeXtra
they are compatible with each other, though i find i use BBcode more, simply because I like the rt-click menu.
Atheist Chaplain says
Thanks, This looks like it will be useful :-)
Cowcakes just left, I’m still cleaning the slobber off after the huge wet kiss and hug he gave me from you ;-)
BTW thanks for the phone photos I received, now more than ever I wish I was ably to go with my “Partner” (WTF!!! where did that come from LOL)
Partner in crime is closer to the truth :-)
Hopefully I will have found a job or won the lottery by the time of the next gathering of the godless hoards so I can return the hug at the very least ;-)
Kel, OM says
My photos from the weekend, not sure if the link works though.
Phasic says
Kel, link works for me!
Coran says
What a good-looking bunch of people. :D
There was a lovely young lady wearing a weekend pass playing nicely with the creationist’s kids later on. I’m sure the creationists thought they were achieving something, but it was pretty much like a sideshow.
Rorschach says
Ah nice one Kel thanks, couple people I didn’t have pics of yet !!
*waves to Liz and her brother*
;)
Kel, OM says
btw, if anyone is in the photos please feel free to tag yourself.
Bride of Shrek OM says
Hi Phasic
Just sent you an email.
Good to see you posting more often as promised. Now don’t go bnack and be a stranger again now will you. *shakes index finger and scowls*
Rorschach says
I second that of course.
OTOH, if any of us SIWOTI victims would comment less and get out more, we might actually have a meatspace life.
*shudders*
Ichthyic says
I have many plans to visit Melbourne, as soon as:
1. my liver stops deciding it wants to go back to the states and accepts my biding again.
2. I have gainful employment again after said liver stops being such a rebel.
you will be contacted (you know who you are).
:)
Kliwon says
PZ, did your new found creationist realise that he was talking to a biologist? I would have let him have his rant then sprung it on him.
Theatrix says
My contribution of photos is here
https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmFNYLxWloJ03STzmE-W5JxDunnIUSeQzo says
Ah, you met the fabled LordP! She is a timorous wee beastie… nice at ;)
https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmFNYLxWloJ03STzmE-W5JxDunnIUSeQzo says
Ah, you met the fabled LordP! She is a timorous wee beastie… nice hat ;)
The Silent Moose of Doom says
Theatrix #81:
You’ve scored a couple of serious closeups of the back of my head in the foreground at Y&J. I’m the one in the pink tartan hat.
Coran says
Oh and since it’s Euphemism week, I’ll just have to say the GAC was a Fielding good time.
The star quote of the weekend, imo, was from AC Grayling who said that “the common ancestor of religion and science is ignorance”. One of those approaches to understanding is being selected for.
Biddy says
This site has been depressing me as of late. Everyday PZ post more proof that I missed something special. If only god didn’t fashion Australia so far from Canada. It’s like he was trying to keep it secret…
WowbaggerOM says
Coran wrote:
AC Grayling is a kwoking legend; he was very friendly and happy to talk to us mere mortals at the Saturday dinner. Now if only I hadn’t been so drunk (and tired from only a handful of hours sleep the night before) that I could recall what the bloody hell he and I talked about…
Rorschach says
Don’t ask me !!
Only thing I remember is the SS asking us to leave while we were still chatting to him, very annoying.
Bride of Shrek OM says
.. now me, I remember some conversation about a hamster and an elephant. That may have been when I bailed up the Chaser boys not when we where talking to AC Grayling but in retrospect, yes, I definately remember a hamster and an elephant.
Rorschach says
Some people need to carry their phones on them.
Just sayin’
Carlie says
Kel and Cath – I saw your pictures of PZ tagged on Facebook. I was going to send a friend request, but I thought that might seem creepy (I don’t know if you have personal “real” id tagged on your facebooks that you don’t want random commenters like me knowing about), so I’ll ask here instead if you mind. And… it still feels kind of weird and creepy to ask. So just completely ignore this if you think it is, and we’ll pretend it never happened.
Kel, OM says
Personally speaking, I’m fine with it. As long as I know the person online or offline, I usually add whoever. So add away.
Cowcakes says
Wowbagger OM wrote:
All I can and need to remember is chatting to Ms Deveny :-)
Cowcakes says
Can we have a tie with the result of that coupling. Pretty please.
…………………. On second thought probably not so pretty please.
Rorschach says
Well some people get all the fun, while we simple folks just end up talking to famous philosophers, it’s just not fair….
JackC says
So jealous. So very, very jealous.
Maybe next year. Sigh.
JC
Cath the Canberra Cook says
Carlie (and others) – you’re very welcome to send me a facebook FR. Just say something about Pharyngula so I know why. I don’t accept mystery requests, because I like to organise my lists into real life friends, internet friends, gamers etc.
BTW, extra data on the sign-in weirdness thing – Mac Firefox no link; Windoze Exploder, yes; Mac Safari yes.
Ring Tailed Lemurian says
What?!!! Janis Joplin (on a very good day*) is alive and well and in OZ? (#3, Michael Barnett’s pics). Now I’m scanning the rest for Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison. (Don’t care about Elvis).
* Before anyone has a go at me, whatever are the conventional notions of what constitutes “attractiveness” in women, I find Janis on film (never having been fortunate enough to see her live) on stage, in full tilt mode, just about the “sexiest” woman I’ve ever seen (Trophy Wife excluded).
Charlie Foxtrot says
Whoops! OK Phasic – incoming emails.
Hi Rorschach :) Hey, did you see my comment to Barney today? I thought I very reasonably reached out a hand for solidarity, and he blanked me! Git.
Phasic took a pretty good photo of us all at the Hilton pub on Sunday arvo, I’ll find a way to get it out…
Jen says
I certainly had a fan-fugu-tastic time. I was the red-headed Scottish girl (living in Perth, WA) with the Atheist Wine Club t-shirt on the Friday and the Huge Tracts of Land one on the Saturday.
Delighted to take the chance to say ‘Hi’ to PZ at the Saturday dinner, even if I think I may have confused him :)
Heading back to Scotland in a few weeks, and trying to figure out if we can make it to the Copenhagen God and Politics Convention in June. Hoping it wont be a lot of the same presentations …
Sili says
Great.
Now you’re making me objectify women again.
F says
Caine, Fleur du mal
Seconded. Even if I’m not posting, I do read all of the very interesting comments. So I’m sure others do as well. See! We saw your post! :)
Ichthyic’s suggestion of BBCodeXtra: I second this as well. I do prefer right-click context menus also. And you can add a blockquote tag to the Custom menu.
<blockquote >_clipboard__value_</blockquote>
David Marjanović says
It’s not &trade, it’s ™.
Kristjan Wager says
After looking through all the comments and pictures, I’m quite envious of all those who made it to the conference.
Hopefully the one in Copenhagen in June will be at least nearly as good. If people plan to show up in Copenhagen in June, drop me a line at some stage, and maybe we can arrange a Pharyngula meet-up before or after the conference.
Phasic says
Catherine Deveny’s regular column is up on the Age website: http://tiny.cc/7uLTx
Someone in the comment section accuses Taslima Nasrin of lying to sell more books.
WowbaggerOM says
Ugh, I just read the comments. Once again the usual drivel – ‘Dawkins only criticises religion because he doesn’t know anything about it’; ‘atheism is a religion because of how one dictionary defines the word’; ‘Why don’t you protest outside a mosque’ – but the comment about Taslim was astonishing in its ignorance and repugnance.
Yet another reminder of just why we needed the convention – and why we need to keep having them.
Hypatia's Daughter says
It’s not a tie, but the Dawkins’ Store sells a Crocoduck T-shirt for 20 bucks; and also a Non Believers Giving Aid t-shirt (as a fundraiser for Haiti relief efforts).
Haley says
It’s not completely off topic since it is still about atheists photographing atheists, but my roommate finally went through her photos and I now have my picture with PZ from his California trip.
Blue is not my normal skin color, I just stood in the projector accidentally.
Nerd of Redhead, OM says
Ah, the default screen. Saves me from trying to remember which SF alien you are. On another thread they were mentioning teen aged movie star crushes. I would say Hayley Mills.
PZ Myers says
A Na’vi Hayley Mills.
Kel, OM says
Seems a pretty obvious conclusion to jump to. If you knowingly hold something to be true and someone else rips it apart as utterly false, there is the obvious tendency to dismiss them as those are the ones being ignorant. And in some cases especially involving specialised knowledge, they would probably be justified in doing so. i.e. evolution, climate change, vaccines, history, etc.
But there’s always the nagging possibility of the Dunning Kruger effect, where one’s perception of expertise is merely a manifestation of ignorance. IIt’s easy to accuse someone of being ignorant of a particular matter, it’s a lot harder to actually demonstrate it. So many times the comment comes that Dawkins et al. are ignorant, seldom is that accompanied by a fair portrayal of evidence (if anything is presented at all, an out of context quote isn’t really sufficient in terms of illustrative power)
'Tis Himself, OM says
Don’t dis Hayley Mills. I had a crush on her when I was 16.
WowbaggerOM says
Kel wrote:
Well, we certainly see it with those choosing to reject the fact of evolution.
I guess the way I see it is that evolution is demonstrated to be true because it’s a collection of facts: DNA, inherited traits, the fossil record and so forth (forgive me if is this isn’t the list of the ‘best’ evidence – IANAEB); denying it is the denial that the facts allow us to conclude what we’ve concluded.
But ignorance of religion, on the other hand, isn’t the same kind of ignorance. All the books the religious are directing Dawkins (and, by extension, atheists in general) toward are not facts, they are excuses and sophistry for why there aren’t any facts. Misapplied terms like ‘category error’ (one of Barney Zwartz’s favourites, incidentally) and ‘epistemology’ and ‘other ways of knowing’ abound in an attempt to disguise the lack of substance.
Not knowing all the sophistry ≠ not knowing all the facts.
Kel, OM says
Don’t forget “that’s not the God I believe in either”…
When a theist presents a clear and unambiguous account of God, then I might think it pertinent to break from my ignosticism. But while they are either engaging in a) sophistry, or b) liberal-theist whack-a-mole, what’s the point of trying to grasp the subtle yet inexcusable distinctions between whatever they claim cannot be discounted by whatever argument you are using.
Coran says
Jen! I saw your t-shirts
Next time we need some sort of t-shirt-based Spotter’s Guide to Atheists.
I wore my “Intelligent Design” t-shirt on Saturday. It features wind turbines and was responsibly=e for some random guy starting an ‘it’s only a theory’ discussion with me in my local supermarket.