Congratulations, Egypt

I think. Mubarak finally woke up and noticed that nobody likes him, and has resigned. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that power has been turned over to a military council. Shouldn’t a stable state have a plan for managing succession and change that is entirely civilian?

But for now it’s entirely for the better that a man who held onto power for 30 years has been deposed. Let’s just hope they aren’t trading one dictator for another.

Wait, you’re trying to decide who’s the best atheist, and you’re doing it with an online poll?

I know. That’s crazy. But I have no choice. Go vote.

Readers’ Choice Award for Best Atheist Blog of 2010

Atheist Revolution
1%

Common Sense Atheism
7%

The Friendly Atheist
5%

Martin S. Pribble
52%

Pharyngula
32%

Readers’ Choice Award for Best Atheist to Follow on Twitter

Matt Dillahunty

1%

Monicks

84%

PZ Myers

6%

Religulous

5%

Rosa Rubicondior
2%

Friday Cephalopod: Abdopus in love

It will soon be Valentine’s Day, and it’s not just the bipedal mammals that turn to amorous thoughts. TONMO has a fabulous series of photos of courting and mating Abdopus aculeatus — here’s one small sample.

i-a661d67e11d25b775909bc34ea22b4bd-aculeatus.jpeg

Your mission for Valentine’s Day is to get together with your partner and do your best to recreate the poses in the series. You will fail, but it will be fun trying.

Great jobs in Kentucky!

Wow, Ken Ham has been touting all the jobs his Ark Park will bring into Kentucky, and he’s already advertising. Isn’t that great? Look what opportunities are available:

Job Opportunities in the United States:

  • Constituent Data Administrator (CDA)
  • Guest Services Coordinator
  • Public Safety Console Operator
  • Senior Database Administrator (Senior DBA)
  • Video Editor/Animator/VFX
  • Web Developer–Python
  • Zoo Keeper
  • Ark Encounter Jobs

That’s a diverse assortment of jobs, and they just have one thing in common. One little bitty catch.

All job applicants need to supply a written statement of their testimony, a statement of what they believe regarding creation and a statement that they have read and can support the AiG statement of faith.

So, you get to manage a database or shovel llama shit, as long as you have Fundamentalist Jesus in your heart. That goes even for those jobs at the Ark Encounter, where they are begging for state subsidies while insisting that it isn’t really a religious ministry. If it isn’t, why do all the employees have to swear an oath to worship Jesus precisely as Ken Ham demands they do?

Creation “Science” Fair this weekend

Rats, I have to miss it again. The Twin Cities Creation Science wackos are buggering up science and children’s education again this weekend with a Creation Pseudo-Science Fair at the Har-Mar Mall, which will be temporarily renamed the Har-Har-Hardy-Har Mall in their honor. I’ll be back in Minneapolis on Saturday, but I’ve already booked the shuttle home to Morris and really don’t feel like it’s worth rescheduling just so I can see a deadly dull string of poor exhibits assembled by sad kids who will be slapping on bible verses because the rules say they have to and who will “Pray [their] exhibit will witness to non-Christian visitors”.

It’s just too depressing. Besides, I hear The Black Swan will be playing in Morris this weekend, and I’d rather go be cheered and uplifted by that uplifting and warm tale of human endeavor. Relatively speaking, that is.

Naughty museum, bad, bad!

I previously mentioned that the Science Museum in London is peddling quackery — they have exhibits that purportedly present nonsense like homeopathy and acupuncture as reasonable potential alternative treatments for some people. Since then, the Science Museum strove pitifully to cover their butts with some excuses, excuses that fall flat. I’ve seen photographs of the exhibits, and they go beyond objective anthropological reportage to uncritical acceptance of woo and the presentation of anecdotes as validating evidence. They should be deeply, horribly embarrassed, and should be looking into the biases of the people who designed the exhibit.

It’s one thing to discuss cultural practices as part of the story of that culture; it’s yet another to use the excuse of myth or sociology to uncritically present bad methods as if they are scientifically valid. The reason we should go to a legitimate science museum is to see the evidence and learn about the scientific reasoning behind it. Discarding critical thinking and whitewashing quackery is the antithesis of a real museum; it does draw in crowds, I’m sure (see the Creation “Museum” for a beautiful example), but at the cost of your integrity and the respect of the scientific community.

Marianne Baker and Alex Davenport have a reply to the Science Museum. I hope they pay attention instead of scrabbling to make more excuses. I’ve been to the Science Museum, lovely place, lots of fine exhibits…I wouldn’t want to have to start referring to it with “museum” always in quotes, if you know what I mean.

Blanket octopus sighting!

I’d almost consider retiring to Florida, just for the marine life, except that by the time I retire the state will probably be underwater, and all the marine life exterminated by careless tourists in expensive boats. At least now you can occasionally spot the splendid blanket octopus out for a swim.

Trust me, watch the video, ignore the babbling newscaster: these really are spectacular beasties.

Guinea pigs, please line up here

I have received a request for volunteers to assist as subjects in a research project. I was disappointed; there are no exotic drugs, no catheters, no insane experimental surgeries that will turn you into a super-being with surprising powers beyond all mortal ken, but the fellow did manage to spell my name correctly, so it must be on the up-and-up. Contact Ben Myers (hey! That’s how he got the spelling correct — he cheated!) if you’re interested.

Dr. Myers,

I am an assistant professor of communication studies at USC Upstate. I am in the process of starting a research project and I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor. My research project is centered around atheist/agnostic coming out experiences. For my data, I am planning on collecting stories from those who have “come out” to religious family and friends. I am an ally (and a big fan of your blog). I am interested in this project because of my own very difficult “coming out” experience with my family.
I am planning on doing a rhetorical analysis of common themes across coming out stories. I have included my research plan if you would like more details. Also, I have already received IRB approval for the study.
I will conduct and record interviews over skype. The interviews are open-ended, so I have a few basic questions but I am primarily interested in just letting people tell their stories.
To start the project, I need to find atheists/agnostics who would be willing to share their “coming out” stories. This is where I would like to ask you a favor. I am looking not just for atheist/agnostics, but for atheists/agnostics who have specific “coming out” stories. I am sure there are lots of readers of Pharyngula who would fit the criteria. Would you be willing to dedicate a post to helping me find participants? Perhaps you could post my email and a short blurb about what the research project is about. Participants could then contact me directly.
Also, no need to worry about the project. Any work that results from these interviews will be presented with the ethos of helping readers understand the “coming out” process and how difficult it is. I am an ally, and a proud “out” atheist myself.
Thank you very much for your consideration. And please do not hesitate to ask for additional information if you feel it necessary. And keep on fighting the good fight.

Sincerely,

Ben

—
W. Benjamin Myers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Speech
Department of Fine Arts and Communication Studies
USC Upstate
864.503.5870

Here’s the short research plan.