PZ Myers and Hemant Mehta at the Creation Museum

I got to meet PZ Myers and Hemant Mehta at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. Of the two, I first saw Hemant. He was very friendly and accommodating. We chatted very briefly, he signed some things for me and then I headed to the gift shop. I realized that I'd not gotten a pic with him. So, I headed back out to see if I could find him again. He got up from the bench on which he was sitting and got the pic. Anyway, he was great. I wish that I could have made it to the SSA conference that weekend.
From there, I headed back through the museum to find PZ. I found him at the bottom of the stairs that lead down from the dinosaur level. I asked if he'd sign some books for me and he said that he hadn't written any books. I wasn't sure exactly what to say, but I let him know that Darwin was a tough autograph to get. He laughed and said jokingly, "Darwin is a snob like that." He, then, saw that I was carrying two bulky editions of Darwin's books in a backpack. He noted that I carried those huge books around just for him to sign them. He signed them and I thanked him. From there, I waited in the triceratops' room. He had lots of interested people following him, so it took him a while to walk the 50, or so, feet to the saddled dinosaur. Once he made it into that room, I shot some video. My video has a few breaks in it because I took some still photos between the video segments.
I had a great time. I went with my girlfriend and I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say that we were treated very well by the museum staff and the SSA. I spoke with several of the staff (security, eatery employees, and gift shop workers) and all treated me just like a regular visitor. I read later of some issues that arose, but we were out of there by then. I saw on the Answers in Genesis site that they posted a lengthy post on the visit. It implied that PZ should have seen the sign stating that the dino with the saddle was for ages 12 and under. I was right next to him and I do not believe that he saw the sign. There was simply too much going on in the room and the focus was not on the sign at all. All of the focus was rightly on the huge triceratops with a saddle on its back!
At any rate, I had a great time. My day started at 4am in Nashville and was worth every second that I put into it! I only wish that Matt Dillahunty and the rest of the ACA crew were there. Their podcast is tops; I must make it to Austin one day! As Matt would say, "Our beliefs inform our actions and I want to hold as many true beliefs and as few false beliefs as possible." I didn't find the Creation Museum's way of discerning true claims from false ones to be at all credible- dogmatic assertion. The Creation Museum has about as much evidence as any "museum" based on the supernatural could have- none. I don't see myself back there again.

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PZ signed a copy of Darwin's books for me and Hemant signed his book as well- very cool-

Read of more CM tales over at Pharyngula!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQl2TMrgbM