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Time.com has announced its picks for Best Blogs of 2009, and I am very honored that Bad Astronomy — hey, that’s here! — is one of them.
They seemed to like the idea of a skeptical blog, which is probably what I like most about what they wrote. It’s very gratifying indeed to know that people out there appreciate a reality-based opinion. One of my overarching goals is to avoid dogma and bias and use only factual evidence on which to base my opinions. I know some people will disagree with this, but in general I think that’s because they don’t like the conclusions I reach. But I have found over the years that the hardest thing to accept as a skeptic is that the Universe doesn’t care what you think is true, it only cares about what is true.
There’s a big difference, sometimes.
So I’m thrilled and honored to be on the Time.com list, especially with such great company like Boing Boing, Metafilter, Life Hacker, Mashable, and Google. I swear I will use this award only for good, and not to pimp out my book or my Twitter stream. Except for just then. Or maybe in the future.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Well done. You definitely deserve it.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Hey, that’s great Phil. Congratulations.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Congrats Phil!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Hooray Phil! Way to represent the skeptical community at large, you old smartie.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Top 25 is pretty darn good out of a field of several jasquillion.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Phil Plait, you might like this T-shirt:
(Click on the image for product details.)
February 17th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Way to go Phil! Your blog is actually in my top two…
February 17th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Kewl.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Way to go, Phil! Keep on rockin’!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Congrats!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Well deserved. Congrats!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hooray! Glad to hear that SOMEone in the mainstream media appreciates reality. And, of course, the awesomeness that is the field of astronomy. Congrats!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Woohoo! BA has been a favorite of mine for years. Your success and recognition are well deserved!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:42 am
I’m happy to see that the Time editorial staff spends its work days reading blogs, just like I do!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Fantastic! Some high profile, positive, press for your blog and the movement. Keep the smarts and humor coming.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:46 am
It’s about *Time* your blog is recognized for being one of the best! Congrats, Phil!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:48 am
So says Time: So say we all!!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Most excellent, Phil, congrats!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Congratulations, Phil. You deserve it.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Woo hoo!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I see your WOOHOO and raise you a YEEHAWWW!!!!
February 17th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Congratulations Phil!
The last line in the article says “Entry you’ll never see: Why is the government spending so much money on exploring space? We’ve got enough problems right here on earth.”
Actually, IF that were the case, I’m sure you actually would say something. Wouldn’t it be great if spending levels were so high that we DID have to complain about cutting NASA’s budget?
We can dream, can’t we?
February 17th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Congratulations!
February 17th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Congratulations, Earthling.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Grats! It’s well deserved.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Congrats, now all you need is a bigger house to fit the ego.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Wait. Phil has a blog?
February 17th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I echo the woo-hoo!
February 17th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Woo hoo!!! I’ve known you were top for quite some time now.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:16 am
NICE! Well-deserved.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Given your company, I’d say your relentless Bush bashing finally paid off! I suppose it was good for something after all.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:32 am
You know what they say- you’re nobody until you’ve been bitten by a troll on BadAstronomy.com! Congrats and well deserved!
February 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am
The article says “Entry you’ll never see: Why is the government spending so much money on exploring space? We’ve got enough problems right here on earth.”
But he HAS written that entry, more than once. It’s just he does it in such a way as to show what a stupid question that is in the first place. Here’s a quick example:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/18/katie-couric-is-a-bonehead/
Are the Time folks really Katie Couric level boneheads, or were they just trying to be funny? From the context, it’s a bit hard to tell…
February 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Well done Phil, but then you deserve it.
Roxy
February 17th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Congrats!
You know, I was once the times person of the year
February 17th, 2009 at 10:48 am
I suppose it was good for something after all.
Shining a light on stupidity and lies is always “good”.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:49 am
We add to the woohoos and yeehaws, Dr. BA.
Of course, all this publicity is like a huge woo magnet. Prepare yourself for a wave of all new crankiness.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:49 am
We add to the woohoos and yeehaws, Dr. BA.
Of course, all this publicity is like a huge woo magnet. Prepare yourself for a wave of all new crankiness.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Wow. Seeing double.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:04 am
My three cheers beats your yeehaw.
Congrats Phil.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Well deserved Dr. Plait!
Your blog is the number one blog I read (as I said earlier; if BA hasn’t blogged it, is it really worth knowing?). Now if we could only get you on the Daily Show, you could bet bigger than Dr. Tyson (in popularity, not stature).
February 17th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Oh yes, now I AM sorry I left astronomy for medicine. I hope astronomy won’t think me shallow for wanting to return only after it has become famous……
February 17th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Well, and of course, now that it is “bad”, too…even more appealing…..
February 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Good work, Phil. It’s nice to see you get the kudos you deserve.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Well done! Congratz!
February 17th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Nice job, sir!
February 17th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Congratulations! For this, you deserve a bunch of cookies!
(PS: I got your book, and it is far too much fun! I really enjoyed it.)
February 17th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
And to think I was here when you were still picking on Pop Up Video.
http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/popup.html
February 17th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Congrats, Phil. Well deserved, it was.
February 17th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Congratulations! You should do an entry called, “Why is the government spending so much money on exploring space? We’ve got enough problems right here on earth.”
-Just to spite them.
February 17th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
@QD,
Wow, I haven’t read that about pronunciation- and I’m pretty familiar with the old site. Come to think of it- after the kilometer debacle- I really want to see Phil do a video on it. If only to see the comments that follow.
Professor Farnsworth no doubt approves. Urectum for the win!
February 17th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Congratulations!
February 17th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Many congratulations, thoroughly well deserved – keep it up
February 17th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Congrats, you’re certainly worth it.
February 17th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Congrats, and well deserved.
February 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Congratulations.
Does the universe really “care” about was is true and what is not true? Why assign human emotions on an inanimate object?
February 17th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Congrats Phil!
February 17th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I’m of the opinion that Phil should actually do that – but then seriously answer the question.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Wot, no PZ in that list? That just gives Phil even more to crow about the next time those two cross swords!
February 17th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
PZ, PZ who. Oh that biology prof in that small almost unheard university.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Big huge congratulations! That certainly is a select group!
…wait, this list didn’t appear in the February 23 TIME magazine with the cover story on “How Faith Can Heal”, did it?
Irony…meter…pegging…
February 17th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Jason, it’s a metaphor. Sometimes scientists use literary devices.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Infophile, I’ve actually answered that question a half dozen times on this blog! I linked to one in my comment above, actually, too.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Anthropomorphizing is a very effective communication technique, I agree! It is especially useful for scientists to get their point across to non-technical audiences. Makes science less scary…..
February 17th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Congrats to the BA!!!! You certainly deserve it!
And the evil cephalopod isn’t even in the list! HA!
…oh how can they tell Gawker is overrated… They gave us IO9!!!!!
February 17th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Well congrats!
This is indeed a great blog, although unlike Time Magazine, I enjoy it way more for what I’ve learned about astronomy than for it’s “skeptic blog” posts. Personally, I don’t really see the fun in reading stuff I already agree with.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
W00t!
Congratulations Phil, this is well deserved. Keep up the good work, we do appreciate it.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Phil, of course it’s a metaphor – we Know that. And we all know that scientists often use them. BUT I have to agree with Jason. By using such metaphors with anthropomorphism and other strictly “inaccurate” devices, scientists set themselves up for misunderstanding by those of the masses that aren’t so scientifically savvy as to put it into proper perspective all the time! And gosh, the scientific community doesn’t need to engender more misunderstanding by the general public. For example, I have often railed at evolutionary explanations for things like some birds evolved bigger, thicker, stronger beaks in order to crack the harder nuts available to them. NO! It was simply that the birds that did have bigger beaks were able to take advantage of harder nuts and they were thus more equipped to survive and pass along the gene for bigger beaks. There is a BIG difference here between the two explanations. And so, why couldn’t you have just said something like “… the truth of the universe is quite independent of what you think is true.”
But hey, I do Congratulate you! And I continue to be a big fan.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Excellent news Phil. Congratulations. Time’s Person of the Year Cover is next.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Congrats Phil. Unfortunately, the Huffington Post also got a nod. Ugh!
February 17th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
[...] Astronomy picked as one of Time.com’s 25 Best Blogs of 2009 Congrats Phil. I’m especially excited because they excerpted a clip of him blasting antivaccinationists. [...]
February 18th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I join the wooohoooo’s and yeeehaaaww’s and add a w00t!!!
I loved the part in the article that said: “Plait is a voice of reason amidst the nonsense of non-science.”
Phil, you are my voice of reason
.
By the way, have you written anything about the huge pile of non-science nonsense that is done in Mexico? We have to find your Mexican version here, a Felipe Trenza or something.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:27 am
@Phil
February 18th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Phil
Thanks for the clarification and helping me understand you better.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Grats Phil! It’s about Time. (don’t hit!)
By way of celebration how about we all go to TAM on your dime?
No?
Shoot. Had to try.
February 18th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Congratulations, Phil.
You’ve earned it
February 18th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
There are other blogs?
February 18th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Wow. Another feather. Congrats Phil!
February 18th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
First, Congrats Phil! I remain a fan.
But,… Second, I’m afraid I have to agree with Jason S’s first comment. And re your reply to him:
Phil, of course it’s a metaphor – we Know that. And we all know that scientists often use literary devices like them. BUT I have to agree with Jason. By using such metaphors with anthropomorphism and other strictly “inaccurate” devices, scientists set themselves up for misunderstanding by those of the masses that aren’t so scientifically savvy as to put it into proper perspective all the time! And gosh, the scientific community doesn’t need to engender more misunderstanding by the general public. For example, I have often railed at evolutionary explanations for things like some birds evolved bigger, thicker, stronger beaks in order to crack the harder nuts available to them. NO! It was simply that the birds that did have bigger beaks were able to take advantage of harder nuts and they were thus more equipped to survive and pass along the gene for bigger beaks. There is a BIG difference here between the two explanations. And so, why couldn’t you have just said something like “… the truth of the universe is quite independent of what you think is true.”
February 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Re your reply to Jason S’s first post:
Phil, of course it’s a metaphor – we Know that. And we all know that scientists often use literary devices like them. BUT I have to agree with Jason. By using such metaphors with anthropomorphism and other strictly “inaccurate” devices, scientists set themselves up for misunderstanding by those of the masses that aren’t so scientifically savvy as to put it into proper perspective all the time! And gosh, the scientific community doesn’t need to engender more misunderstanding by the general public. For example, I have often railed at evolutionary explanations for things like some birds evolved bigger, thicker, stronger beaks in order to crack the harder nuts available to them. NO! It was simply that the birds that did have bigger beaks were able to take advantage of harder nuts and they were thus more equipped to survive and pass along the gene for bigger beaks. There is a BIG difference here between the two explanations. And so, why couldn’t you have just said something like “… the truth of the universe is quite independent of what you think is true.”
But hey, I do Congratulate you! And I continue to be a big fan.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
[...] His Bad Astronomy blog is now hosted by Discover Magazine and was recently chosen as one of the Top 25 Blogs of 2009 by Time [...]
August 19th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
[...] His Bad Astronomy blog is now hosted by Discover Magazine and was recently chosen as one of the Top 25 Blogs of 2009 by Time [...]
December 25th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
“a reality-based opinion”
Oh dear… the ignorance.