Uh-oh…I’ve been so scatterbrained lately that I’ve neglected the Molly Awards. You know how it goes: I put up a post for nominations, leave it to simmer for a while, it scrolls off the bottom of the page, and I lose track of it all. Then I come back and the soup is all scorched and horrible. Oh, wait, no — it’s fine! This internet thingie let’s comments sit there forever if I let it.
Anyway, I’ve caught up with two months’ worth of nominations, and here they are:
For September, two awards: Patricia and Nick Gotts. Give ’em some belated applause!
For October, the winner actually got lots of votes for September, too, but if I gave her both months’ awards everyone would accuse me of being lazy (which would especially sting because it would be true). So, finally, SC gets the Molly for October.
Now that I’m all caught up, of course, it’s time to collect nominations for the best commenter of November. Leave your suggestions here, and someone remind me before they all boil over this time.
Congratulations to the deserving winners!
Nominations:
Emmet Caulfield
Bill Dauphin
Thank dog thats done …..:P
For November Emmet Caulfield.
SC, the squeaking wheel! Congrats to Nick, The Professor and The Slut!
Congratulations to the announced winners.
So many on the short list. Eeny meeny meiny moe.
Negentropyeater
Kel
Not that I expect my view to count for much, but I support Bill Dauphin for this month’s award. Unlike many others, he’s been consistently civil and reasonable to me, and to others with whom he disagrees.
woot
congo rats all!
Negentropyeater
Emmet Caulfield
nominated for the plonkbomb
Byers
Woohoo! Congrats to all three of you. You’re all very deserving.
Based on my limited time I’ve been able to spend here over the past month, I nominate Emmet Caulfield. If nothing else, for his participation in the boobies thread the other day. Hilarious.
:P
Thanks, PZ. And thanks to everyone who voted for me. I’m so very touched and honored. And congratulations to Nick and Patricia!
For November:
Wowbagger, ’cause he’s razor-sharp and cool
Emmet, ’cause he’s clever, phun, and his writing sings
Bill Dauphin, ’cause he’s sane, can laugh at himself, and genuinely listens to what other people have to say
clapclapclapclap(standing)clapclapclapclapclapclapclap
clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap
Congratulations to the overdue winners, and thanks to y’all above for the votes. I’m going to go for:
It’s a really hard choice, but I think it’d be a bit much to also list the other half-dozen people I think deserve one. Next month.
Congrats; all deserving
Walton,
Step slowly away from the blog. Do not, DO NOT, go to said boobies thread. This has been a warning.
(BTW, I don’t know if I’ll remember to use it consistently, but I’m likin’ SC, OM. Has a fun KAOS sort of feel to it.)
I’m running a pool on how long it’ll be before some troll turns it into SC,UM. Proceeds to the Walton Poker-Removal Fund.
Let me repeat my earlier suggestion: there should be an “Order of the Molly, Gold” award, for those that have shown consistent excellence (and have already won OM). For instance, we could have “Cuttlefish, OMG”.
Grateful thanks to all who nominated me – I will try to be worthy of the great honour! Congratulations to Patricia and SC – very well deserved in both cases!
Nominations for November: negentropyeater, Bill Dauphin, Emmet Caulfield, Wowbagger
Nick, you could leave off the “Gotts” and go with “NOM NOM NOM”…
I shall cast but one vote for November Mollies… and that will be for Emmet Caulfield.
Another vote for Emmet Caulfield here.
And congratulations to SC, Nick and Patricia.
Who’s Gotts, OM smart things to say? Nick, that’s who!
(Apologies – silly mood.)
Moses for Molly.
And Wowbagger.
Oh, and Kel.
Congrats to SC, Patricia and Nick
So, is that a nomination for wÒÓ†?
Congrats all! (And I like the new handle, SC. You wear your OM well.)
As for me, I’m happy with the nominees so far: that’s Bill Dauphin, Emmet Caulfield, Kel, Moses, negentropyeater, and Wowbagger (in alphabetical order.)
Oh, and as for meta-Mollies, I’m going to refer to Cuttlefish, OM as Cuttlefish, OM(CC) from now on, regardless of PZ’s authorisation.
That’s “Order of the Molly, with Calamari Cluster”.
Also post-pharyngulously conceded a Calamari Cluster is Kseniya.
humm. While I feel wòót is deserving some sort of Zen commenter award, no it wasn’t a push for mollification.
It is however a not so subtle hint that at one point in my life I played MMORPGs. Thankfully, that time is long past and I’ve moved on to more productive and intellectual pursuits.
I guess I’m voting for the perennial candidates who always show up never seem to get the OM:
Wowbagger – Can’t go wrong with him, but his reeption of the award still is somehow infinitely prolonged.
wÒÓ† – Come on, he/she needs some recognition for the boobies, even though he/she hasn’t been around much lately (there can’t be that few booby pictures on the nets, can there?)
Gotta be Emmet Caulfield, he had me a few months ago at “abbatoir for lettuces”. That one still cracks me up.
Bill Dauphin gets an honorable mention, he is consistently civil, wise, and insightful.
I know I’m not the first to suggest this… but I’d still like to see a monthly award for the worst poster… you all know the criteria, no need to go into them here… we can call them the “Rookies’.
Congratulations to SC, Nick Gotts and Patricia.
My vote for the November Molly goes to Emmet Caulfield.
I congratulate the eminently worthy new Mollyists, renew my monthly nomination of negentropyeater, and second all the voices in support of Emmet Caulfield.
Brownian:
That’s the best suggestion yet for how to re-recognize those who’ve already won their Molly!
Speaking of which… “post-pharyngulously”?? Do you have some information about Kseniya’s virtual whereabouts? I had been wondering where she’d got to, and hoping she was only temporarily away, not gone.
In no particular order, the ones who have stood out for me this last month or so are Negentropyeater, Emmet Caulfield and Celtic_Evolution.
I would like to nominate Mrs Tilton please.
Oh, cut it out, already. Why do you do that every month?
SCOM of the Earth.
Contrafabulations to the well-deserving winners. All long overdue.
I have rather embarrasingly not made any notes for November, and I’m following the comments so little now that I don’t feel qualified to vote for anyone based on recent performance. I can only say that many good names have already come up, but I think I’ll abstain from voting, myself. At least for now. I’ll return if I start seeing tentacles appear under the door.
“For September, two awards: Patricia and Nick Gotts.”
VERY well deserved, IMHO.
Oh, cut it out, already. Why do you do that every month?
Well it works like this: I nominate Mrs Tilton, and then I nominate whoever tells me Mrs Tilton already has one. (You asked!) You already have one though! Sorry.
Ah. That seemed to be the pattern. (Ken Cope deserves one, anyway. Wish he commented more.)
Well, I was speaking on behalf of Emmet. :)
I would like to nominate Emmet Caulfield please.
Oops, which is not to say that SC doesn’t deserve a Molly, just that I was so distracted by Jeeves and Wooster that I didn’t read the whole post before posting my comment.
Congrats to you, SC! Easily the equal of Patricia and Nick.
Apostrophe-police alert. Don’t piss off Bob, now.
My nomination for this month: Negentropyeater
Sorry Bill, I don’t. I was snooping around the blog of another MIA alumnus, MAJeff, thinking I’ll drop him a line and see if he knows where she is.
Congratulations to Patricia, Nick, and SC. All well deserved.
I second (third, etc.) the recommendation for special recognition awards to go to Cuttlefish, Kseniya, and (not yet mentioned on this thread until now) Sastra, as well as the Zen award with bicycle-and-fish-rampant to wÒÓ†, for services sideways and behind the call of duty.
I also wish to raise a glass to those beloved commenters who seem to have left us, temporarily or permanently, for reasons known or unknown, including MAJeff, Etha Williams, and brokenSoldier (and wÒÓ† and Kseniya), in hopes that “they will one day return, and grace this foul earth”. Come home, kids, all is forgiven.
I guess I’ll go with Emmet and/or Wowbagger this month.
And Brownian!
Another vote for Emmet Caulfield. He’s a smart and funny guy.
Emmet Caulfield
Bill Dauphin
Nah, go ahead. Piss off Bob. Steve Notley inadvertently cock-blocked me once.
Živeli! Hairy Doctor Professor, I knew I’d forgotten some.
Congrats to the new mollified.
negentropyeater
Bill Dauphin
Wait just a minute here. I just looked at the Molly page. Am I missing it, or does Sven not have one yet? I had previously assumed that he simply didn’t use it in his moniker.
brokenSoldier just commented last night, and Kseniya was around last month more than a little, and Etha posted after the election.
I suspect that people just need to GAFIA sometimes. I may as well at some point.
I think Bill Dauphin is overdue for recognition. He’s doesn’t post as often as others, so is not as noticeable, but he’s always calm and thoughtful and on-topic.
Um. There are many other worthies, but if I write “Emmet Caulfield, Wowbagger, Kel, and a bunch of others who wrote this one post that was +5 Insightful and/or +5 Funny”, well, where would that get us?
Oh, and Cuttlefish and Sastra for OM²/OMG/DABOM (Doubly-Awarded and Best of Order of the Molly).
Emmett and Neg, yeah. Also, Kel for sheer persistence, although he has it easy it at nights, what with nights being days there and winter being summer and up being down.
Feynmaniac, because he actually deserves to be compared to Feynman.
Bill Dauphin, for the reasons listed above.
I was going to ask if you had auto-fill-in switched off, but with just 2 letters it really made sense…
Not if she doesn’t show up more often.
LOL! I can’t believe my nomination of Nick actually made the sample comments on the Molly page,
Congratulations to Patricia, Nick Gotts and SC!
SC@46:
Me? That’s sweet, but nah. I’m mostly just crackin’ wise around here unless there’s some interesting biology involved. Mollies should go to people who actually think about what they post.
If nominated I will not run; if elected I will not serve. In fact, I’ll pull a George C. Scott. (Or maybe better, a Marlon Brando–anybody know Yellow Thunder Woman’s number?)
Congrats to Patricia, Nick, and SC!
I really need to keep a pad of paper next to the computer — with the month on it — to scribble down candidates.
For last month:
Wowbagger
Emmett Caulfield
Bill Dauphin
I’ve brought these names up before, I know. I could throw in new names next month. Hm.
Just looked again, and I’m not seeing his name. Insanity. Can’t believe it – I’ve been enjoying his comments since before I even started posting myself. So I’ll add Sven DiMilo to my list for this month, and all subsequent months, with apologies for not voting for him earlier.
Congrats, you three! All of you were more than worthy of a Molly.
That Emmett Caulfield fellow has shown himself to be a smart one. Throw him an OM.
OK, I’ll respect that (we crossed posts). But you absolutely deserve it, dude.
I debate like I play chess, it’s a game of grinding them down and hoping they make a mistake I can pounce on.
You’re probably due for a Calamari Cluster yourself.
I believe you’re referring to the rarely-awarded OM(CCSoT), which is the Order of the Molly with Calamari Cluster and Side of Tzatziki, though I really think I could get behind the superscript indicating the number of Mollies awarded, mostly because of the trauma it would inflict on innumerate n00bs: “I’ve been lurking a long time, but I just had to comment to tell the poem-spewing physics equation how much I love his limericks.”
Sven, you get all my earlier votes for using the phrase “crackin’ wise.”
I debate like I play chess, it’s a game of grinding them down and hoping they make a mistake I can pounce on.
Despite the popularity of that tactic, it’s not debate. It’s browbeating.
-jcr
I’m likin’ SC, OM.
I knew you would cherish it. That’s why I voted for you.
-jcr
I grind them down with scientific fact, does that make it any better?
That and your growing crush on me. ;)
Yes. ‘Debate’ was a form of argumentation invoking logic and rhetoric, popular before facts were invented and rendered the form obsolete.
The only ones who still wax poetic about the good ol’ days of reasoned debate are those whose positions lack supporting facts.
I agree with JCR that it’s a form of browbeating, but I disagree that that’s a bad thing.
From my limited exposure to Pharyngula, I nominate Emmet Caulfield for his inciteful comments and cautious and deliberate manner, which I appreciate. I also nominate Wowbagger if he’s hasn’t gotten one yet, for his great contributions.
I wouldn’t nitpick, except that it’s fun to do so with a college professor. In the last line of the first paragraph, you misspelled “lets” as “let’s.” That’s all right, though; I am reading “Evolution 101,” by Randy Moore and Janice Moore, and published by Greenwood Press. It is full of misspellings and other errors. That being said, I strongly recommend their book as the best I’ve ever read for introducing people to the Theory of Evolution.
Although the OM has been awarded to some fairly reasonable people this time all three are exceedingly unreasonable.
Thanks, Pete!
Kind of like having a star-nosed mole call you ugly.
One of the things that debating teaches you is that it’s a performance art, and an absolutely lousy way of deciding about the truth of a proposition.
Many years ago, I took part in a number of intervarsity debates, and remember having my ass handed to me when an opponent made a joke at my expense. I, in turn, did that to others. The outcome of the debate had little or nothing to do with logic, reason, or evidence, and everything to do with style, humour, and playing to the gallery.
This is the reason why I continue to support people like PZ or Richard Dawkins in their refusal to debate with the likes of Dinesh DaSouza: to do otherwise tacitly acknowledges style and popularity over substance and logic as a basis for decision-making.
Rookie –
See? I’m telling you… we need “Rookies”…
Congrats on the new titles to those who’ve received them. I’m going to add my votes for Kel and Emmett Caulfield, tenacious, insightful and entertaining posters both.
Pete Rooke wrote:
That’s a little ambiguous in meaning, Pete – to say nothing of its incorrectness. I suspect that posters here are often far more restrained in their responses to you than you are aware. I know I’m tempted to be a lot less polite with you for writing something like this.
…is what you meant to write.
I doubt you’d have found anyone more unreasonable–by your standards–than the late Molly Ivins, for whom this award is named.
Logic and rhetoric still play a part, but really what good is there pussyfooting around an issue for the sake of civility?
It depends on the issue. If the issue is one of the moisture content of my mom’s pot roast, then I’m all for pussyfooting for civility.
If the issue is of the nature and biological history of all life on Earth and whether one’s unsupported ‘alternative’ story justifies enshrining one’s bigotry in legislation such as in Prop 8, well then, civil rights come before civility.
SC, OM @67,
like having
a star-nosed moleRush Limbaugh call you uglyFixed that for you (star-nosed moles are amazing and beautiful animals).
It appears I have missed the great monthly (or, as sometimes is the case, bi-monthly) exercise in Democracy. (Ironically, I missed it because I spent the time reading about the Spanish getting theirs back after several decades of theocratic fascism.) So let me get in an early nomination for November: it’s got to be Emmet.
Exactly
Allow me to kneel and kiss the perfect right hands of SC and Patricia. Nick, you only get a handshake, hug, and a congratulations.
Walton, unclench and allow the long rod of iron to slide out. Your recommendation is as good as that of any other person. You still have not responded, or I missed it, about getting together in the UK later this year or next year. I do not bite, not at first meeting.
BTW, will be in the UK on and off a bit this and next year. Would love to meet any of the Pharyngula mob infesting the golden isle.
For next OM, Emmet strikes me as a strong candidate.
Lets put the Saturnalia back in Xmas!
The issue is that without guidelines for civil debate, it’s impossible for facts to be heard. Instead of finding the truth, the creationists (among others) resort to argumentum ad amplitude.
I see our total fool was back with his usual nonsense. Always good for a laugh. If the negative award is instituted it will be aptly named.
Good candidates this month, all on my short list. I can easily see clusters for Sastra, Brownian, and the one and only Cuttlefish.
Pete Rooke:
Ah. Irrefutable proof that wise choices have been made.
Mrs Tilton (OM) @ #74,
I stand corrected. :) I should have known that even the star-nosed mole would have defenders around here. (Actually, I really just wanted people who didn’t know what it looked like to google it – photos of it make me laugh every time.)
I just tried to find the good footage from the attempted 1981 coup (23-F) on Youtube for you, but they only have short clips. :(
brokenSoldier just commented last night, and Kseniya was around last month more than a little, and Etha posted after the election.
Drat. Missed ’em. Either that or I’m losing it. Now, where are my reading glasses? (Fumbles around. Forgets to look on head. Calls to nubile assistant. Nubile assistant nowhere to be seen. Did nubile assistant ever exist?)
The “Ken Ham award”
He’s have to be dead first. How about a “Falwell”, the actual award being a matchbox?
Woot,
I go away and actually do some work for a few weeks and come back to find my fellow slut and champion skirt twirler has won a Molly. Congrats all, well deserved. I don’t feel so bad for missing this round of nominations given that at some time or other I’ve nominated every one of you.
…and if Wowbagger doens’t get this months Molly then I’ll go away for another few weeks (..wait, um…is that a threat or a promise ??)
Yay !! Patricia!!
I vote for Emmet, on the condition that someone gives me a link to this “boobies” thread everyone keeps talking about?
Hi windy (and BoS)!
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/12/imagine_130000_breasts_bobbing.php
Thus spake windy:
It’s the Imagine 130,000 breasts bobbing in the sea post; starting around comment #114, myself and SC got into a punny exchange that descended into… well, let’s just say that it descended.
Another vote for Emmet Caulfield.
In will stray a creotard all bright-eyed and certain of slaying those ebul AthIests!!1111!!! with his MAD lojik skiz!!!!1111!!! Then Emmet clotheslines the moron with reality. So much fun to watch.
Congratulations to Patricia and SC for their well deserved Molleys. Oh, and to the guy too, whoever he is.
Just one thing I’d like to know, when are you two ladies going to start blogging? (LiveJournal don’t count.)
ok, that’s
scaryimpressive.YAY Patricia! I voted for you, so where’s my complimentary sex? ;) Always good to see the pharyngulords increasing in number. SCOM is a great title, and i will look forward to maybe someday evolving to the point of possible equaling Nick or any of you others.
Tricky, i would vote for three if i thought it were ethical….
-S’E’ter [now with 100% ,more phonetic accuracy!](that’s negentropyeater to you less lazy commentators)
and Emmet, who i have admired for some time now.
Posted by: Pete Rooke | December 8, 2008
Although the OM has been awarded to some fairly reasonable people this time all three are exceedingly unreasonable.
The Rookie Weasel really dislikes me. This the reason for everyone to vote for me to get a Molly. The Rookie Weasel will throw a fit.
I renominate Bill Dauphin, and mention the perennial candidate, Wowbagger, who keeps on keeping on :)
Congratulations Patricia, Nick and SC. Enjoy the applause!
Yeah, always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Heck, I’m happy just to be nominated, especially when it’s by some of the ‘big guns’ here.
SC, OM @67
“Kind of like having a star-nosed mole call you ugly.” – Thanks for the laugh! My wife accidentally punched me in the ribs last night, and your comment has not helped!!!
Also not nice to star-nosed moles!
Congratulations to Patricia, Nick and SC.
This month I vote for :
Negentropyeater, always insightful and long overdue.
Bill Dauphin, the quiet, thoughtful man of this blog.
Emmet Caulfield, always there to battle the creotards.
Wowbagger, for the same reason as Emmet.
For once, words and twirling fail me. This is the greatest honor I have ever won. Thank you PZ, and thank you everyone else that voted for me, or chuckled at my remarks.
Nice. Especially that Nick Gotts win.
My votes: Emmet Caulfield, John Morales, negentropyeater.
BTW, will be in the UK on and off a bit this and next year. Would love to meet any of the Pharyngula mob infesting the golden isle. JeffreyD
I’d be delighted to meet up, if you’re anywhere near the remote part of the country where I live, or are somewhere I can get to at the time – let me know when you have specific plans. My email should be fairly readily findable, but if not, I’ll post it.
Safari crashed just so, without me doing anything, and I have to write everything anew. One more defense of Apple, and I’ll go berserk.
Let me sign that.
ROTFL!
Star-nosed moles are teh cute!!1!! And so uncommonly fascinating for a placental mammal.
For November Kel and Janine. Emmet made some good slutty remarks too. Kel and Janine’s comments are always a pleasure to read. Usually I agree with them or snort my beverage all over my screen.
Yeah, if the Rookie Weasel starts to make a nuisance of himself this month, I’ll nominate Janine and anybody else who points out the delusional nature of his remarks for next month’s Molly. So stay away Rookie if you don’t want that to happen.
OT, has anybody heard from Ichthyic?
Congrats to Nick Gotts & SC!!!
Sorry to be so distracted. Egg peddling changed gears this week. Yeah, I know – what a cluckhead. *snort*
Nick Gotts at #99, sorry I overlooked this until just now. I should be traveling a lot to the UK in 2009 and would love to get together as I enjoy your posts. I am often in London, but try to take time to get to other areas for a few days. I knew the island pretty well in the early 1970’s when I was based in Belgium – made a lot of hovercraft and ferry trips. Would love to re-tour and remember. Once I have something resembling a schedule, will post here or on my seldom updated blog and then arrange a nice visit.
Take care and congrats again.
OT, PZ, there is an old Ken Ham thread from 6/21 that needs closing (1268+posts). Evidently KH put a link to the thread on his site.
Man, I hate having to vote on the Molly…it’s like stopping by Baskin-Robbins for a single.
I will go with Emmet.
Woo! These people rock!
Erm, hrm. Next voting doohickey. I think I’ll say both Wowbagger and Emmet. They’re pretty awesome too.
And yeah, where’s w00t? And all the rest? :-(