That Pi Meme

Since I'm not feeling particularly inspired today, I'll just do a meme, though it's intended for the scienceblogs newbies.

3 Reasons you blog about science:

1. It's just so gosh-darn nifty.
2. If people can't distinguish between black and white issues like science versus pseudoscience, how can they handle all the grays of politics? I'm here to contribute my little bit to that art.
3. Cranks can be so entertaining to take down.

Point at which you'd stop blogging: Don't know. Would probably have to be part of a massive time conflict.

1 thing you frequently blog besides science: I've posted a little about videogames, but I suppose logic and critical thinking would qualify, even though they are tightly linked with science.

4 words that describe your blogging style: This may be a bit tricky. "Humorous" probably qualifies as one, though I probably need to get some more material for Appeal_to_Ridicule, since one of those I did in a Skeptico comment probably brought me into Ryan's attention. "Serious" is another. As the saying goes, "I am at my most serious when I am joking." Though I laugh at them, I have a deep annoyance for cranks who resort to formulaic propaganda techniques, hence all the Doggerel posts. I'm amazed anyone still falls for those. "Uncompromising" might be another appropriate word. No issue is sacred. No one is immune to ridicule. We'll see how that holds up when Jack Chick inevitably tries to sue me for hurting his feelings. "Caring" might be another. I get angry when woos exploit and hurt people.

1 aspect of blogging you find difficult: Dealing with anonymous commenters who have nothing to contribute but spam and hate. If you're going to comment, try actually saying something.

5 SB blogs that are new to you: Since I don't visit that many, I'll just list those that I can think of:

1. Pharyngula: PZ lays on the truth about our distant, distant ancestors.
2. Respectful Insolence: Orac knows, knows that he knows, and how he knows what he knows.
3. Good Math, Bad Math: MarkCC looked down upon the math and saw that some was good and some was bad. I confess I mostly look at his takedowns of the bad.
4. Terra Sigillata: Only skimmed a few entries over there, but it was good stuff.
5. Chaotic Utopia: Mentioned on GM/BM. Apparently the guy likes fractals. So do I.

9 non-SB blogs:

1. Pooflingers Anonymous: Logical arguments against silliness that are well-aimed and hard to clean off.
2. The Second Sight: EoR takes on some of teh silliest silliness on the net.
3. Autism Diva: You'd think she'd know a thing or two about autism. And you'd be right.
4. The Uncredible Hallq: You don't want to get him angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.
5. The Bad Homeopath: Going inside the belly of the silly (but still dangerous) beast. Now, stop that.
   
6. The Bad Astronomer: Judging from his JREF forum avatar, the last time I saw him there, Phil must know Strong Bad's typing secret.
7. The Hokum-Balderdash Assay: The dissection of, not a source of.
8. Silly Humans: Just because I gmail chat with Michael Bains every day, asking him trivial questions, requesting ideas, never ceasing. Oh, and he gave me computer advice.
9. Swift: The One Skeptic to rule them all.

2 important features of your blogging environment: Well, I blog at home and at work, during my lunch break. The most important features are 1) The boss isn't watching me, and 2) the boss isn't watching me.

6 items you would bring to a meet-up with the other bloggers: (Changed slightly, since I'm not an SBer.)

1. Four GBAs with cables and matching copies of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four Swords, since that's about the only chance I have of bumping into three other people who'd be willing and able to play.
2. A T-shirt with my JREF avatar on it.
3. Maybe a dog mask to keep up the whole anonymity thing I've got going.
4. A copy of "What the Bleep Do We Know?" for an MST3K session. My brother and his roomates got a kick out of it. Of course, results may vary, and it might feel like a trip through the agony booth for us.
   
5. My laptop, since there's bound to be something blog-worthy about the hypothetical event, and I wouldn't want to forget a good quote.
6. My +3 flaming anti-vaxxer bane tire iron, for showing off.
   

5 conversations you would have before the end of that meet-up:

1. See if Phil Plait convulses as much as I do when someone uses "lightyear" as a measure of time.
2. Talk with MarkCC about a weird videogame concept of mine involving lots of arguably unnecessary math.
3. Get caught up on the issue of global warming. All the propaganda of the 90s didn't tell me much about the raw data. The more knowledgeable skeptics are probably right, but I'd rather know for myself than to make arguments from authority, legitimate or otherwise.
   
4. Smack around Prometheus until he updates. Does that count?
   
5. Probably get lots of suggestions for more Doggerel entries.