Every now and then the universe provides small signs that not all is lost and the looneys don’t completely run the show. The fact that March of the penguins is selling out in Madison (and that the Wisconsin State Journal had the sense to quote my son and mother on the issue) gives me a warm fuzzy feeling (which, as the film makes clear, can only be shared metaphorically by the birds themselves). Go here for Sub-Evil Boy’s take on it all. And definitely go see the movie if at all possible – it’s seriously cool (ho, ho, ho). (Apparently the voice overs vary quite a lot according to country/language. We saw the U.S. release with Morgan Freeman’s excellent narration. Can’t say anything about other releases.)
Perhaps more importantly, the success of blogs like Pharyngula is a real sign that (talented) individuals (with way too much time to spend on their blog) can make a broad and signficiant impact without the backing of Big Corporations or Big Media or Big Much Of Anything. As evidence of this wondrous state of affairs, Pharyngula got a brief mention in Newsweek and (far cooler) Paul will be interviewed on BBC’s 5 Live program (a total fave of WeatherGirl‘s). The interview will air Monday, so we’ll all have to tune in to listen.
Do you think people would mind if I started sleeping outside Paul’s office door?
4 Comments
Thanks, but I suspect the custodians would object, and you risk getting run over by the division Zamboni.
And actually, Newsweek and the BBC are small potatoes. The real thrill this week was that I got a personal note from Richard Dawkins, telling me he loved the site.
Great quotes from Barbara and Thomas!
Courtney and I saw March of the Penguins last weekend. Can you imagine not eating for 4 months while holding an egg on top of your feet while revolving slowly around a massive huddle in a sub-zero blizzard? Yeah, I can’t either. Then again, I’m fairly happy with my evolutionary path!
Paul – I hadn’t thought about the Zamboni; I’d been more worried about our esteemed Division Chair :-). Now that you’ve raised it, however, the Zamboni is indeed a serious concern. I’ll have to settle for being down the hall. And a note from Dawkins! That does most seriously rock! More prestigious, and much less stressful than an interview…
Brent – Yeah, that whole not eating for 4 months in supremely awful weather is a little more sacrifice than changing diapers for a few years. The big question, though, is how it relates to getting one’s PhD or tenure…
Wow. I know famous people …. Better than the time I sat next to Robert Downey Jr. in a New York eatery (and yes he appeared completely sober).
Congrats to Paul. It is well deserved. Sometimes he seems like the only sane voice on the planet.