First of all, hey look! Rebecca upgraded the site! You probably can’t tell, actually, except for that last night for about 20 minutes the site went down, and then this morning the recent comments list (over there on the right) was screwy because it was showing giant Gravatars with each new comment. Sorry about that! I fixed it so now the site is back and there are itty bitty Gravatars by your recent comments. Hooray!
As for the Comment o’ the Week, there were hardly any noms, and of the noms I actually saw, two were for Skepchick writers and one was for a person quoted in an article who doesn’t actually comment on Skepchick (as far as I know – if it so happens that Dr. Rosalind Arden is here, I will immediately award her the golden COTW).
Instead, the award will go to . . .
Detroitus
// Dec 10, 2008 at 4:05 pm
You know, determinism makes baby jesus cry…
Funny because it’s true. Congrats, Detroitus! Until Dr. Arden registers for Skepchick and posts to claim the prize for herself, you win the best prize ever: the chance to party and drink Pangalactic Gargleblasters with A, as well as Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Yau-Man, Karen Stollznow, and bunches of other skeptics in San Francisco. Oh wait. I see you’ve already claimed your prize. Hope you enjoyed it!
Speaking of meet-ups, Boston Skeptics are getting together tomorrow morning at 10am at the Museum of Science! Meet us in the lobby, or if you can’t make it that early, meet us at Porter’s Bar and Grill afterward (2:30 or 3pm-ish) for drinks and a skeptical talk. More info over on Boston Skeptics! I encourage you all to wear your geekiest t-shirt.
(And psst: remember, nominate your fave comments by quoting and writing “COTW!” so’s I can find ’em next week.)
I guess the Madonna wasn’t a material girl after all.
These days, I’d say that Madonna is immaterial. Her arms look like my deceased grandmother’s arms. The last time I saw that much loose flesh flopping around was…well, let’s not go there. ;-)
Is my “Science: It works bitches” t-shirt appropriate for the MOS?
Yeah! I nominated Detroitus, my favorite southern Californian skeptic. That’s almost exciting as getting COTW myself … Almost … I will work on the sarcasm and comic timing some more … And dream.
@TheSkepticalMale: Southern CA? Ummm… only if “southern†now means “in the middleâ€
:P
Oh… and Gratz Detroitus!
May we all strive to make the baby jebes cry a little each day….
@Kaylia_Marie: Sorry, Kaylia … I forgot where Detroitus goes to school. (QUERY: Does California have a middle? The weather’s great everywhere, dammit.) … Correction: You are my favorite southern Californian skeptic.
Oh honey please… CA has a middle, it is called the Central Valley.
And as for coastal… the Bay Area is rather middleish but we get lumped in the Northern CA more often than not. So I am a Northern CA gal…. in the Bay Area which is rather middleish… if you know what I mean.
@Kaylia_Marie: Oh, I could have swore that you were both from San Diego. My bad.
But were there any OM NOM NOMs?
Inquiring minds want to know.
San Diego… San Jose… San Francisco….
No worries.
:)
@QuestionAuthority: LMAO! … I have never been a fan of Madonna … But I have to say, the fact that you know what your deceased grandmother’s arms look like is pretty creepy.
@Kaylia_Marie: Yeah, all that Spanish sounds alike to me! ;)
I love telling my friends that the things they do make baby jesus cry. It annoys them severely.
@Kimbo Jones: More polite than saying Baby Jesus is gonna go Chucky on them I suppose
@Kaylia_Marie: I once looked at a map and thought to myself, “I never hear about the nothern part of California, I wonder what goes on there.” Turns out, nothing but redwoods and pot.
Well no, they have the uhh,
And then there is the… ahhh
Yeah redwoods and pot, a few colleges, some nice rocky beaches, cold weather, mudslides, Pentecostal preachers giving sermons in the frozen food section of the grocery store, laws against incorporated businesses, a whole lot of hippies, and Mount Shasta.
Which is why though I was born way way way up north, I am very happily a Bay Area Silicon Valley CA Gal now.
And no, I don’t surf, I am not blond, and I don’t mindlessly interject the word “like†into all my sentences.
I do however love granola and folk music. Go figure.
@spurge: I’ve actually seen that shirt at the MoS, so TOTALLY! If the kids don’t know the word, it won’t hurt them. If they do know the word, it’s too late.
@Rebecca: I personally would like to combine my favorite t-shirt with COTW:
FRONT: “The universe wants to kill you …”
BACK: “… and it makes baby jesus cry.”
@TheSkepticalMale: Swesome
I want one that says “For Lent I Gave Up God”
@Kaylia_Marie: Hmmm, alot of people around these parts might not get that (the whole irony thing).
I saw a really weird t-shirt a few weeks ago that said: FRONT: “There are two people fucking on the back of my t-shirt” … BACK: “Just kidding. Jesus loves you! (with a picture of Jesus laughing hysterically)” … Something about that made me laugh really hard, but I don’t know why.
@TheSkepticalMale: These parts as well. I work with an entire team of Catholics. Four of them…. 1 of me.
Makes life fun.
@Kaylia_Marie: Tip #1 for getting ahead when working with Catholics: Instead of using the term “three”, try to use the term “trinity” – e.g., We have a trinity of computers in this department, so I think everything should work just fine” … or when out at happy hour, “Why have just one shot of whisky when I can have a trinity!”
@Kaylia_Marie: Tip #2 for getting ahead when working with Catholics: Learn the Catholic jokes that are appropriate to the level of your co-workers. – e.g., If they are “edgy” Catholics, try “What kind of fun does a priest have? … Nun.”
@Kaylia_Marie: Whereabouts in Silicon Valley? I used to live in Livermore from 1997-2000 when I worked at LLNL. I used to think I was a pretty good gardener. When I moved to MN I discovered it was mostly the weather in CA that made things grow. The first couple of years here resulted in some pretty horrific plant carnage.
Man, do I miss being able to walk around in the winter wit only a short sleeved shirt on! MN in winter is NOT my very favoritest place in the whole world.
@Kaylia_Marie: Tip #3 for getting ahead when working with Catholics: Relate to their pyschology – e.g., Catholic: “I don’t understand why my printer won’t work.” … You: “Well, I don’t know, but do you think it may have something to do with your divorce?”
@TheSkepticalMale: Heh, are you campaigning for the COTW?
I like your last tip the best, unfortunately I am also the only divorcee in the department. But wow I would see the smoke from the ears with a comment like that….
@SteveT: North SJ. (The best part of the BA) Just so you know, it has been in the 40s here… so not as cold as other places but I haven’t been in short sleeves in a while. Rocking the oh so sexy turtleneck today.
@Kaylia_Marie: The 40’s sounds absolutely balmy right about now. Supposed to have a high of 10F on Monday.
And yes, turtlenecks can be very sexy! From your previous avatar, I would argue that sexy is pretty much your ground state.
Awww, shux!! I’m totally flattered..
I’d like to thank all the collicky infant god-men who made the comment possible…
@Kaylia_Marie: I don’t know what all this talk about ‘nice weahter’ is about… It’s been a frigid 50-something degrees here! I almost couldn’t wear shorts today…
@Kaylia_Marie: No, I was just raised a Catholic.
@TheSkepticalMale:
My favorite ever t-shirt just said “Pontius is my Copilot”
@Detroitus: When I say I hate you, please don’t take it the wrong way.
@SteveT: In some cultures, that’s the ultimate compliment. I’m blushing over here…
@SteveT: I had a previous gravatar? I don’t even remember what it was. Hope it was me :P
@Detroitus: Bah shorts. I had to wear flannel to bed this week! And I have been sporting gloves for the walk to work…. and sometimes for the walk home…. I miss seeing the sun….
@Kaylia_Marie: That’s because you are in San Jose… It’s always sunny and warm on the Stanford campus. We have a weather machine.
@TheSkepticalMale: I’m still your favorite central California skeptic right? Right?
@Kaylia_Marie: Sorry, I misremembered. I was thinking of the picture I saw when I followed your link a while back. It’s amazing my brain works at all by the time Friday comes around!
@skepticalhippie: And both are high quality products, fortunately.
@Kaylia_Marie: Good one. Another one is “I don’t drink any more during Lent. (But I don’t drink any less either.)
@Knurl: Best Pun(s) ever
@SteveT: Ahh yes, than you saw my blog, and that is indeed me…. so thanks :)
@Detroitus: /grumble grumble
Oh look… it is almost time to go walk home in the dark… and the cold….
@Knurl: “For Lent I gave up Caring”
Hee!
@Kaylia_Marie: “For Lent I gave up on The Church.”
Thanks Rebecca.
I am looking forward to the Boston Skeptics at the MOS.
@TheSkepticalMale: A friend of mine is an athiest and he works with a Catholic, a Jew, and a Hindu. The Catholic, Jew, and Hindu argue constantly about religion, but they always unite and gang up on my athiest friend. He thinks it’s amusing.
@Knurl: Heh it sounded like the start of a joke…. A Catholic, A Jew and a Hindu all work in an office. ….
I find that a lot though, for some people the non-belief is so much more threatening than the “wrong” belief.
@Kaylia_Marie: I think you’re right. I’m not a scary person and I get along with people very well (well, unless I have too much whiskey), but when religious people find out that I was raised Catholic and am now an athiest they become very standoffish.
Holy crap. this blog still exists. I still exist.
finals. they have eaten my brain. i have time for naught but organic chemistry and frantic late night ice cream devouring.
@Kaylia_Marie: I want that shirt, too.
I spent my childhood in San Diego, and I thought Santa Barbara was northern California :) Then I went to Humboldt State. Holy crap, there’s a whole lot more state up here.
But I spent high school in northern Arizona, where 30 below was common. Now I wear shorts even when it’s 50 out. (The thick layer of insulation helps, too).
SteveT: I never threw out my back shoveling sunshine.
Okay fuck all you guys, I was born in Walnut Creek and grew up in Vacaville. I am now in Texas. I would kill my way across the southwest to live in San Francisco. So far I have seen San Franciso, New York City, Paris, Seoul, Vienna, Geneva, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, Houston, Okalahoma City, Chicago, Tokyo, St. Paul and a few others none of them can hold up to San Francisco. It is the best plac e everywhere.
@SteveT: Man, do I miss MN. I graduated from the UofM a year and a half ago and moved out here to Columbus OH. I got to tell you man, there are worse places than Minneapolis, like Columbus, or Cincinnati, or really anywhere in Ohio.
I do feel for you with the whole winter thing. My first apartment was built in the 30’s and left much to be desired in insulation. To save energy me and my roommate kept the thermostat at 50 and my room was typically colder than that as it sat on the Northwest corner of the building. (when the wind hit it you could feel the slightest of breezes work it’s way through the paper thin, uninsulated walls.) I would go to bed in multiple layers of clothes, under several wool blankets and wear a knit cap to keep my head warm.
Oh well, part of the experience, nothing says poor college student like waking up in a run down apartment seeing your breath in the air.
@Gabrielbrawley: San Fransico is the best place ever if you are a) Gay, and/or b) have money falling out of your ass.
I’m fine visiting (and have many times as I have relatives in SF and Oakland) but I would go crazy if I had to live there.
@skepticalhippie: Well I’m not gay and haven’t found it to be any more gay than any other major metro area. But you definetly need a lot of money to live there. Which is why I don’t live there. If I ever get the money I’m getting a place on Knob Hill and never leaving the city again.
Oh also I would like to remind The Great and Amazing Rebecca that some of us had finals and work. We all don’t live on the fat profits of an amazingly succesful website and store. So excuse us if we aren’t quite are amazing and whitty selves.
Just drinking, kidding, oh something.
@Gabrielbrawley: I’d like to second the blame on finals.
skepticalhippie: That used to be paradise for me. In northern Arizona I’d keep the window open because my family had the heat on so high. (And ’cause I’m a little nuts). But all I needed was my Irish down quilt, and I was happy. I blame the Swedish blood.
I’ve gotten spoiled living in San Diego for so long, but I still like to sleep with the window open. Only trouble is I always get a cold from the first fog of the year.
I know i shouldn’t do this, but…
http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ch/2008/ch081211.gif
@SkepticalMale: “There are two people fucking on the back of my t-shirt†… BACK: “Just kidding. Jesus loves you! (with a picture of Jesus laughing hysterically)â€
Almost sounds like George Carlin to me…
I prefer “Dog is my copilot.” Courtesy of “The Bark” magazine. :-D Actually, I have six copilots at the moment, and not one of them agrees on which way to go! LOL
If we are going to the trouble of upgrading the site, can we add functionality to allow for editing of past comments?
@wytworm: If so I think there should be a time limit to prevent people from editing, say, something from 100 comments ago if the “argument” isn’t going well for them.
Yeah. They do that on other sites as well.
@SteveT: COTW (all by itself – in fact, it sounds better without knowing the context).
@Knurl: Yeah, they stick together now, but you could really mess up that happy union by insinuating that you might be unsure about your atheism.
@Detroitus: You are my favorite Californian skeptic! How about that?
Skepchick should have a public COTW if only for a backup when Skepchick readers slack off.
That way such gems as Dr. Rosalind Arden won’t go unnoticed; Or, say, Pharyngula reader Michael Russell for his response (comment # 7) to Dr. Myers’ post on House Resolution 847:
“Bills like this make me want to wander out to the middle of a vast wilderness, find a passing goat, and punch it.
Repeatedly… ”
Making baby Jesus cry is funny, but punching random goats repeatedly makes me giggle, too. Just a thought.