When you think of Uncommon Descent (something I’m sure we all avoid as much as possible), the weblog of Bill Dembski and friends, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe Intelligent Design advocacy is near the top, but their pyrrhic censorship policies have also got to be up there. At least the reverse is true: if you think about blogs with bad policies on comments, on transparency, on maintenance, with capricious administration and a ruthless dedication to silencing any critics, UD is the premier instance.
Well, somebody had to vent about it. I think it’s fine, actually: it’s great entertainment to watch them strenuously work to discredit themselves, and the gang at the Official Uncommonly Dense Discussion Thread think so, too.
Speaking of nothing, here’s some good news: “‘God is Not Great’ author Christopher Hitchens…[is]… among the finalists for the National Book Awards.”
I miss the good old days when Dave Scot would barge into a blog like that and start incoherently insulting everyone in the room.
Speaking of which, this Dave Scot gem deserves wider circulation:
A big mistake in NDT inspired ideology is that the earth’s changing environment gradually molded life to fit it. That’s bass ackwards. Life molded the environment, paved the way so to speak, for the next predetermined phase of phylogenesis. That’s why the process took billions of years. It isn’t quick or easy laying down foundations that span an entire planetary surface. The atmosphere needed to be oxygenated. The time of great upheavals and catastrophy in a young solar system had to be waited out. Fossil fuel reserves had to be laid down to power an upcoming industrial species. My contention is that industry didn’t arise because a power source was available for it but rather a power source was made available so that industry could arise. The way was prepared in advance. It was planned that way.
Maybe Ben Stein will decide to look into the lack of academic freedom practiced by the IDiots themselves (although I won’t hold my breath waiting). Seriously, can you imagine what it would be like if they did actually manage to achieve their wedge documented aim to take over scientific research, it would make Lysenkoism seem almost quaint in comparison.
Yes, I too find one of the most salient features of the U.D. group to be their remarkable tendency to censor. I never really paid attention to the site until the ERV exchange, and I was astounded to see how they hold “conversations” over there. Beyond ironic (securely in the hypocrisy-zone) how they like to whine that ID doesn’t get a fair hearing in scientific circles. And it’s eye-opening to see how they’d run “science” if they were given a chance. It’s downright sad to realize that even they know that their arguments are complete b.s. that get destroyed the minute they’re subjected to informed critical review.
Oh Jake, that’s a doozy. I suppose, along that line of thinking, that the entire human history of fermentation and alcohol exists for the sole purpose of getting my parents liquored that fateful night nine months before I was born.
Anybody else wondering if DaveScot’s been tying his ligatures too tight during his autoerotic asphyxiation sessions?
Naaah, Stein is too busy hosting America’s Most Smartest Model, a “reality” game show that seems (and please don’t ask me how I know this) to combine all the worst features of America’s Next Top Model and Beauty and the Geek.
I used to enjoy Win Ben Stein’s Money, but the more I learn about the man, the harder it is to be entertained by him.
At least the reverse is true: if you think about blogs with bad policies on comments, on transparency, on maintenance, with capricious administration and a ruthless dedication to silencing any critics, UD is the premier instance.
I am sad to report that Tom Nelson’s pathetically eponymously titled blog may be just as bad. Readers may recall that Nelson did a fantastic job of documenting the IBWO fraud and the ensuing soap opera and money grubbing. Now he’s converted the blog at least partially into a “global warming skeptic” rant, regularly quoting Discovery Institute hacks and other dubious “critics,” and censoring any post that he deems is not “directly addressing” the “science”.
It’s a real pity because there is a place for thoughtful criticism of misleading and/or inaccurate hype that is, too frequently, I think, peddled by scientists in ALL fields (including climatology and evolutionary biology). But Nelson is plainly a Repuke with an agenda so … what do we expect.
the entire human history of fermentation and alcohol exists for the sole purpose of getting my parents liquored that fateful night nine months before I was born.
Quite honestly, my guess would be that DaveScot only infers divine predestination to events that he approves of.
America’s Most Smartest Model?
I guess Ben Stein didn’t bother to read even the title of his show, but at least it’s likely to be an accurate representation of the contents. That would be better than his previous jobs, I guess – maybe he figured that burning out his dishonesty with that much stupidity might be the only for him to find an honest life, or I’m just really optimistic.
GWW–I noticed the same thing the other day. Nelson did a great job of presenting all voices in the IBWO thing (now that WAS a scientific conspiracy, for a long while, with secret signed pledges and everything, handshakes probably). The capital-S Skeptic routine, though, has been stretched too far for my taste.
Non sequitur:
Why do I feel Rev. Paul T. Hipple (commented on the Silly Design thread) is pulling a Stephen Colbert?
And not only at Uncommon Descent. Those few masochistic rationalists who have been enjoyably engaging with the Kent Hovind mob over at CSEBlogs.com have also been banned. Seems like a number of his supporters with very soft brains couldn’t withstand the arguments.
The UD crowd is an interesting population for a study in self-awareness. They are not idiots, so they must know that stifling comments makes things worse than any comment can ever achieve. Therefore, they must not care about their ID position that much. Therefore, they know they are just blathering to each other. How sad.
The typical conservative radio host exhibits the same pattern. Rush Limbaugh, for example, goes on and on and on for hours, interrupted only by his own mattress commercial. (Occasionally, he lets a carefully screened caller praise him, but anyone who disagrees is cut off and then berated for the next hour as a liberal tree hugging media hack, or as a phony soldier.) If one listens long enough, one can actually hear Rush brainwashing himself!
Do you suppose a couple of wetsuits and a breathing mask would increase the thrill of such self-absorbed people?
Jake: Where exactly did you find that great DaveScot quote? Got a link?
Where exactly did you find that great DaveScot quote? Got a link?
Sure!:
http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/eugene-koonin-ncbi-on-biologys-big-bangs/#comment-141187
What stands out to me the most at UD is the use of a cartoony flagellum as a logo. It’s been nearly a decade since Behe released DBB and his “irreducible complexity” nonsense was shredded yet they continue to use it for their logo. It’s almost as if they have fooled themselves into thinking that the flagellum hasn’t been shown to be reducible.
I guess once you’ve managed to convince yourself that several hundred thousand scientists are all either mistaken or involved in an elaborate conspiracy against you, then overlooking the flaws in Behe’s “theory” is easy.
Jake. Not that I didn’t believe you, but that one, particurally the bit about the fossil fuels was nuts, even for DaveScot.
I think DaveScot needs to read some Voltaire, before he starts claiming that noses were made so that we could set glasses on them.
The capital-S Skeptic routine, though, has been stretched too far for my taste.
No doubt. Obviously he’s entitled to post whatever dreck he wants to support his agenda. The unforgivable lameness arises from the fact that he effectively allows no comments except those that agree with the claims in his posts or which assume the false premises inherent to many (if not all) of the global warming posts. It reminds me of Allen and Hannah’s old Kornel Kreationist Klub blog, only worse.
All this was forseeable, of course, when Nelson first indicated his desire to believe that big bad Saddam had WMDs that he managed to sneak out of the country prior to the US invasion.
I wonder if DaveScot has read Vonnegut’s SIRENS OF TITAN.
Are you sure the premise (emphasis mine) isn’t wrong?
On the other hand, Keith Olbermann has said this about Limbaugh. (Unfortunately the link to the source doesn’t work anymore.)
Are you sure the premise (emphasis mine) isn’t wrong?
On the other hand, Keith Olbermann has said this about Limbaugh. (Unfortunately the link to the source doesn’t work anymore.)
Speaking of The Sirens of Titan, I wonder what happened to the movie rights when Jerry Garcia died…
jsn asks, “Why do I feel Rev. Paul T. Hipple (commented on the Silly Design thread) is pulling a Stephen Colbert?”
Because, maybe, he is, like Colbert, better at it in the satirization than the authentic coin? He does seem a bit more nimble than average in that idiotic manner, doesn’t he?
Oh, the antievolution.org site? The best to be said for them is that they’re a convocation of dullards.
Yeah, the Rev Hipple is definitely in the parody business. Go and look at his blog. He talks about his ‘Second Dominion Church of Jesus of Georgia’, but there is no link to said church anywhere on the blog, and no ‘donate all your money to us’ buttons either. Google it. The church doesn’t exist outside the blog. (Also, spot the link to Jon Swift in the sidebar.)
I’m thinking of adding him to my blogroll. It’s just that there are so many of these satire sites already and it’s too easy to satirise these people…