I think this is a bad idea.
But I think this is a far, far worse idea.
After all, what’s better? This:
Or this?
Please join responsibly.
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About Bad Astronomy
If you went to BadAstronomy.com and found yourself here, never fear: the BA Blog has moved to its new home at Discover Blogs. The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking and all that) is still online, too.
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Bad Astronomy was chosen as one of Time.com's Best Blogs of 2009. 
Open Lab 2008 is a collection of the best blog posts of the year, all in one place. Are you a science junkie? Yeah, you want it. -
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Social/Networking/Cool Stuff
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DISCOVERmagazine.com: Latest Articles on Space - DISCOVER Blogs: The Loom
February 29th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Hmmm, both links seem to require a Facebook login to view, and I’ve not yet drunk that flavor of Kool-Aid.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I’m with Berry. What are we missing?
February 29th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Ditto on what Berry said. I have no plans to join Facebook either in this lifetime or the next…. Perhaps the one after that, but it’s still too early to commit for sure.
I will say, however, that the kitten looks like something out of “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
February 29th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
That looks like Cthulhu’s cat… so are you implying that PZ is a Great Old One of Unspeakable Evil?
Please state your answer in the form of an impossible to pronounce sentence, e.g.: Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu Rl’yeh wgah’nagl fhtagn
February 29th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I joined yours, of course! Though I note, with much amusement, that you’re still a member of PZ’s group. And posted on the wall, no less.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Yup. Balls to Facebook. How did you get that pic of my cat?
February 29th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
The first one calls you a sceptic. I believe that would be pronounced “septic.” I do believe this is a Freudian slip and he is calling you an infection. He hates you, I guess.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Personally, I went with the Mind flayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illithid - just in case you don’t know what that is) pet kitten.
If you are bent on world domination, tentacled kittens seems like a reasonable first step as reasonable as any.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
It’s a tough call for me. Personally, I think you’d make a better world president because you aren’t as reactionary as PZ.
On the flip-side, PZ definitely has a certain upside in the cephalopod demographic.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Icky cat, icky cat! I have a horrible phobia of tentacles!
February 29th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Mmm… Links to sites that are forbidden from work, and ones I wouldn’t like to touch if they weren’t.
Ia! Ia! Cthulkitteh fhtagn!
Oh, and pretty stars, too. >_>
February 29th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I joined both… *Ashamed*
February 29th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I joined both because it looks like the perfect ticket to me…but I just can’t decide: Pz/Plait or Plait/Pz.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Cthulkittey FTW! And yes, it’s actual Caturday at my place
/No Facebook account
//Not to be about to get one
February 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
RE: Ibeechu
Sceptic is the UK spelling. Forgive my crazy flavour of spelling. Feel free to throw me in gaol for not conforming to your crazy Websterian spellings.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
It’s a sea cat. Tastes very good with french fries. In Holland we call them octopussies.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Ah, Phil, but what if you and PZ combined forces…?
February 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I want a Cthulhu cat! And I want one now!
February 29th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Cathullu for World President 20008!
February 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I tried! Really I did! Entered my email. Entered a password. Got a message that my email and password didn’t match! Very strange, as I had never been to facebook, much less signed up! Anyhoo, I clicked “forgot my password” and . . . my email isn’t in their records so they can’t send me the password I don’t have! Passing strange!!!
February 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I have to pick the cthulhu kitty. It is too cute. Though the stars are nice too. I would join both if I were interested in Facebook.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
OK, I’m a bit new to this and PZ’s site. I’m still trying to figure…am I wrong in my assumption that Phil and PZ’s “adversarial” relationship is entirely tongue-in-cheek? Everytime I’ve convinced myself that it is, I read something that leads me to believe it isn’t. Somebody please clue me in…
Thanks.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
A little explanation for those of us without facebook accounts?
February 29th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Defectiverobot, your assessment of BA’s and PZ’s relationship is correct, being that their rivalry is a friendly sparring, rather than a serious conflict.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I think having to log in to view a website is a bad idea..
February 29th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
ok doc, what have you been smoking
March 1st, 2008 at 12:21 am
When that kitten grows up and has kittens of its own, can I have one please?
March 1st, 2008 at 2:01 am
Defectiverobot (and anyone else who hasn’t already seen it), check out the video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uALOuJLh5q4
to see a hilarious moment in the ongoing Plait-Myers battle. The one bit (with the Latin) never fails to crack me up.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:30 am
nlightnmnt said:
“I think having to log in to view a website is a bad idea..”
LOL!
I was going to ask the same question: BA, why is it such a bad idea?
BTW, I refuse to join facebook, as I have heard that it is the most voracious of timesinks.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:25 am
BA, you ask which is better, the stars or the Cthulhu kitty. But as every scholar knows, Cthulhu kitty can only rise when the stars are right.
Have a look at http://lolthulhu.com/ for more (or should that be moar?) of this stuff.
March 1st, 2008 at 6:11 am
Brian,
Thanks for the link, that was funny. I have to go Google the Latim phrase now…
March 1st, 2008 at 6:23 am
I joined Phil’s group last week.
March 1st, 2008 at 6:58 am
Can someone who has a facebook account tell me what are the links about? Because I’m not in the mood of joining Facebook for Cathulhu.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:40 am
To Mark:
I’ll believe you if you can find one instance of “sceptic” in the Holy Bible. You know why it’s called that? Because it’s Holy. If God doesn’t say it’s a proper spelling, it’s not a proper spelling.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
I think someone is required to say this:
Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!
March 1st, 2008 at 11:32 am
FYI, for those without Facebook accounts - the links are to the Facebook groups “Phil Plait for World President” and “PZ Myers for World President,” respectively.
March 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Colin:
Unfortunately, such mutations are usually recessives,,,
GAry 7
March 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Phil, you and PZ made create a facebook account. I feel dirty now.
March 1st, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Why settle for the lesser evil?
March 1st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I certainly would favor Dr. BA, but can I still pet the tentacle kitty?
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
As I said earlier:
“I tried! Really I did! Entered my email. Entered a password. Got a message that my email and password didn’t match! Very strange, as I had never been to facebook, much less signed up! Anyhoo, I clicked “forgot my password” and . . . my email isn’t in their records so they can’t send me the password I don’t have!”
Can some body explain WTF is going on???
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:36 am
I agree.
Facebook is a really bad thing.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 am
I won’t create a facebook account, not even for PZ and Phil, who have clearly fallen for the dark side of the toobs.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Mog-Sothoth! Mog-Sothoth!
Ia! Ia! Cathulhu fft-fft-fft-phthagan!