What’s wrong with those Canadians?

There is a site promoting some Canadian blog awards, which says they are “celebrating the best in the Canadian blogosphere.” Good premise, especially since they have a sci/tech section — maybe I can find some more worthy Canadian science blogs. What do I find? No Sandwalk. No Recursivity. No Genomicron. The best Canadian science blogs that I read are unrepresented there, and instead, they’ve got Climate Audit, a climate change denialist blog, and three blogs from Denyse O’Leary’s link farm.

I don’t think these guys have a clue about good science. Don’t bother to vote on this one.

(via Canadian Cynic, who is Canadian, but got screwed too because there is no “most cynical” category.)

Relying on the Mollies

Yes,. I’m still down for the count with a dead laptop, still only able to get on to the web in a limited way. Since I have just been reminded that I am behind on the bestowing of the Molly awards, it seems appropriate that I just turn it over to you all to make your nominations right here in this thread.

And with that, I’m off to the airport, flying home by way of the famous Apple Store in the Mall of America, in hopes that some genius there will manipulate the fabric of space-time and restore my lost video.

The Twitter Threat!!!

I’m afraid I just can’t take this seriously. Army intelligence analysts are concerned that terrorists might tweet each other. Or text each other. Or put Islamic wallpapers on their cell phones. Oooh.

Yes, they could. So? We’re living in a world where communications technologies are advancing rapidly and where people can talk to each other constantly over long distances. This is a neutral technology; bad guys can use it, and so can good guys, and so can boring ordinary people who just want to chat about the weather.

Latest threat: Air. Terrorists could use this medium to respire and fuel oxidative phosphorylation, providing extra physical energy to allow them to carry out strenuous evil activities. Plus, it keeps them alive. American anti-terrorist organizations must be made aware of the nefarious purposes to which oxygen can be applied.

Possummomma has gone silent

Many of us were fans of Possummomma and her blog, Atheist in a Mini-van. She was a passionate writer, struggling to make ends meet with her family, coping with lupus, and also having to deal with a lot of anti-atheist-bigotry in her community and online. Well, they finally got to her: she’s gone offline and has put her blog under password protection, all because of some extreme harassment and accusations from, believe it or not, Christian fans of a dopey reality TV show. It’s a long, sordid, complicated, ugly story which I’m not going to repeat here, sinc The Calladus Blog has covered it thoroughly. The short and simple summary:

Venomous Christians, threats, and stalkers. Enough was enough. Possummomma has been libeled and attacked online, and stalked in real life. This isn’t good for her family, or for herself. Stress aggravates the symptoms of SLE, and who needs that? This is one more drama, and P-momma just doesn’t have the energy to deal with it. She’s offline now, and the rabid Gosselin cult can high-five the fundamentalist preachers with a hearty, “Well Done!”

Possummomma’s co-blogger also supports the explanation. I have to sympathize — trying to fight the insanity of religion that afflicts our culture can wear one out, especially when there are bigger personal issues of family and health to deal with — but let’s all hope an opportunity to catch her breath and get a rest will be sufficient to restore an excellent writer to her role as a public advocate.

Kevin Hayden is traveling east

Kevin Hayden, the maestro of the American Street blog, is packing up and moving across the country from Oregon to Massachusetts. Along the way, he’s going to be interviewing people and composing a written and video portrait. He needs help, though: he’s looking for people along his route who would be willing to be interviewed, or who would put him up for a night, and he’s also looking for contributions. He still needs more help, though. Take a look at his project, and if you think you can chip in, do so!

You don’t have to stop commenting!

Just to clarify the ScienceBlogs 1,000,000 Comments contest: the millionth commenter didn’t win anything. Everybody who makes a comment on Scienceblogs up to 30 September is automatically entered in a drawing to win a fabulous trip for two to New York. If you slept through the moment when the millionth comment was entered, you didn’t miss anything and you didn’t lose, necessarily.

So keep on talking. But shhhhh, don’t tell anyone: you only need to make one comment to be entered, and more comments don’t increase your odds.