As a gracious host, I thought I’d answer a few questions that could, at some point, crop up. This list may expand…
Q: Why The Clever Badger?
A: No reason other than that I liked the way it sounded, really. I wanted a name that was short and catchy, and The Clever Badger fit the bill. Some discarded ideas included The Funky Skunk, The Wicked Weasel, and The Arrogant Bastard.
Q: Who are you?
A: While my name isn’t that difficult to figure out if you look around, I’d rather not go plastering it all over the internet.
Q: What is your background?
A: I’m an electrical engineer by training. I’ve also got some background in biology and organic chemistry. I enjoy film (particularly older films), and I read a lot. I’m interested in history, particularly of science and medicine, and in religions and mythology. In my spare time, I sometimes help coach youth soccer and basketball, and I teach a Sunday School class for 7th and 8th graders.
Q: Why do you do this?
A: There are several reasons. One is that the more you write, the better you get at it. Professionally, I see a lot of otherwise well-educated people that can barely write a coherent thought. I think that’s a problem, and I’d rather not be part of it. Another is that I hope to encourage people to think more critically about things. In the context of my Sunday School class, I see kids who have never given much thought to why they believe what they believe. Those kids can easily grow into adults who don’t give much thought to things. That doesn’t just apply to religion either (although it’s perhaps easier to see there), but politics, business, science, and all sorts of other areas. It isn’t my intent to deliberately antagonize anyone.
Q: Do you take requests?
A: Sure. If there’s a specific subject you’d like to see me address, send an e-mail to feedback@cleverbadger.net. If I decide to write on your topic, I’ll let you know when the post comes out.
Q: What is your moderation policy?
A: Comment authors must use a name and e-mail. The name can be a psuedonym. I review all comments that get through the spam filter (and unceremoniously delete anything that I think the filter should have caught…), but I don’t currently have a policy of disallowing profanity or (relevant) links. I also don’t censor disagreement, unlike some blogs out there… Threats won’t be tolerated, though.
