I am a science fanatic.  That much should be obvious by even the most cursory glance at my blog list on the left, not to mention if you have visited here more than a few times.  Given that I am quite adept with mathematics, I am gifted with a natural proficiency with and interest in physics, my favorite scientific study.  That certainly does not mean I am disinterested in other areas of study.  Nothing could be more untrue.  Science is to me as video games are to so many in recent years: an obsession, something which engages all of the senses equally and vehemently, and a way in which my time can be lost far too easily.

While I may demonstrate a fundamental infatuation aptitude with science in general, I am deficient in two major areas: biology and chemistry.  In no way is that to be interpreted as meaning I am either disinterested in or unfamiliar with either of these disciplines.  I assure you that would be an inaccurate assumption.  It is as simple as I have failed to excel in these areas since high school.  Certainly, I passed my AP courses with aplomb, but I could not muster the same level of obsession with them that came so easily to me with other studies.  It is as simple as they failed to pique my interest.

So why do I read PZ’s (Paul Z.) work over at Pharyngula? Paul is quite a smart man; I know you would not deny him that.  His area of expertise, however, is biology, so why do I read his blog so religiously?

One, as a scientist, he garners a tremendous amount of automatic respect from me.  Two, and equally important, he is full of wit, charm, sarcasm, and common sense that I find terribly engaging.

In times more recent, he has become one of my greatest heroes concerning intelligent design.  Like me, he scoffs at the premise that religious megalomaniacs would support ID with equally radical zeal even if the designer were not assumed the Judaeo-Christian god.  I cannot deny that he has a stronger foundation in this arena: evolutionary biology.  It is at least in that respect alone that I can learn much from him.  Having common political and sociological views also does not hurt.

But he is not just a nerd.  I realize it was his idea to call physicists nerds based on his own sluttiness, but you will be as likely as I to comprehend the nerdiness of all scientists, even in light of Wired’s 2005’s 10 Sexiest Geeks.  It comes with the territory.  Proving my point, see PZ’s response to the preview for the upcoming sequel to The Pirates of the Caribbean; it is a classic example of his very stimulating intellect that only briefly delves into the realm of nerdiness (and who did he call nerds?).  Nevertheless, he still gets nerdy, especially when he speaks about arthropods or, more importantly, cephalopods.

I point all of this out because Pharyngula is an excellent blog to read frequently.  Some of you will not be as interested in his ramblings as I.  Then again, some of you might.  I care not on which side of that fence you stake your tent; I only care that you give him a chance to enthrall and entertain you with solid scientific merriment combined with doses of politics, sociology, opinion, entertainment, and just plain ol’ charm.

Every morning I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.

— Robert Orben

I want to draw your attention to this article at Slate which discusses within the confines of American history some context of The War on Christmas™.  While I refuse to add any legitimacy to John Gibson’s book about it (he’s from FAUX News, of course, and hasn’t a clue what the fuck he’s talking about — with regards to everything, not just this in particular), I will point out that they draw your attention to some discrepancies with his puritanically theocratic view.  Conservatives and liberals never cease to amaze me in how readily they ignore the truth in order to demonize their partisan adversaries.  Again, politics retards everything it touches, and that includes people and government.

Update [2:26 PM CST]: While I’m on the subject of FAUX News… Well, I’m not really on that subject.  Yes, I mentioned it casually in one minor regard meant only to communicate some level of context about John Gibson, but anyway… Speaking of FAUX News, I’ve mentioned before that BottleOfBlog was more than worthy of your time.  I’ve referred to it on occasion.  I bet you still haven’t gone over there to read a damn thing, yes?  Well, go read this for his reponse to Bill O’Reilly, also of FAUX News fame, regarding The War on Christmas™.  He always says with sharp wit and sarcasm precisely what is running through my head, although I pounced on Gibson instead of O’Reilly.  We can’t all be perfect, damn it!

It’s The Carnival of the Godless Christmas Extravaganza!

You might also enjoy the 24th Skeptics Circle.

All the cool stuff you ever wanted to know about animals is available in Friday Ark #66.

We can’t forget, in celebration of Christmas, the 92nd Carnival of the Cats.

Pharmaceutical companies are waiting for the feds to develop a vaccine for HIV.  There appears to be no financial incentive for them to work on developing one, so they’ll let scores of people become infected and die from the disease while they wait to turn a profit from the taxpayers’ dollars.  Disgusting.

While originally reported as the NSA spying on two or three dozen Americans, we’re now finding it to be much broader than that.  In fact, the NSA tapped into major telecommunications networks so that they might eavesdrop on all phone and internet traffic, not just that belonging to individuals of interest.  Oh, but I’m sure that’s what Bush meant when he said this warrantless and unconstitutional spying “was limited to monitoring international phone and e-mail communications linked to people with connections to al-Qaida.”

DarkSyde, in his usual demonstration of prose and scientific prowess, gives us yet another wonderful essay: Science Friday: A Cosmic Season’s Greetings.  You don’t have to be a scientist (or even interested in science) to enjoy this installment.  It’s really good stuff.

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider godfearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.

— Aristotle