Comments on: PZ has been saved! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:09:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: JackC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47509 JackC Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:25:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47509 The lawsuit against PZ was well reported. What about this assult against Irons? I personally have my lawn chair and drink, but haven't been able to find where to watch the fireworks. Anyone have anything on that? I bought "God on Trial" and it is interesting, detailed reading. I would like to see what Mr. Irons is doing to turn Little into a small pile of mulch. JC The lawsuit against PZ was well reported. What about this assult against Irons? I personally have my lawn chair and drink, but haven’t been able to find where to watch the fireworks.

Anyone have anything on that?

I bought “God on Trial” and it is interesting, detailed reading. I would like to see what Mr. Irons is doing to turn Little into a small pile of mulch.

JC

]]> By: wslmwps http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47508 wslmwps Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:42:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47508 hgjghjgj hgjghjgj

]]> By: KaiYeves http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47507 KaiYeves Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:29:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47507 Is it just me or does the name Pivar make any of you think of grasshoppers? Some little insect like that, maybe locusts or praying mantises. Not trying to insult, just saying that that's the mental picture I get. Is it just me or does the name Pivar make any of you think of grasshoppers? Some little insect like that, maybe locusts or praying mantises. Not trying to insult, just saying that that’s the mental picture I get.

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47506 Irishman Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:25:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47506 Ken B, put the word "blockquote" in angle brackets . Ken B, put the word “blockquote” in angle brackets .

]]> By: Leon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47505 Leon Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:25:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47505 To get the quote, use the blockquote tag. To get the quote, use the blockquote tag.

]]> By: Nigel Depledge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47504 Nigel Depledge Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:07:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47504 So, does this mean that Stuart Pivar now officially acknowledges his status to be a classic crackpot? So, does this mean that Stuart Pivar now officially acknowledges his status to be a classic crackpot?

]]> By: Ken B http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47503 Ken B Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:55:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47503 PZ: > Peter Irons, who did such good work on my behalf, is now being > threatened with legal action by Stuart Pivar's lawyer, Michael Little. I wonder if he's suing for "tortious interference with his business"? (Or whatever the phrase is.) Perhaps Pivar told him to withdraw the suit, because of all the comments sent to them by Mr. Irons, and so Mr. Little has now lost a client and associated income? Perhaps it's for defamation of character, for publicly posting his tearing down of Mr. Little's work? (BTW, how do you get that nice quote around quoted material?) PZ:
> Peter Irons, who did such good work on my behalf, is now being
> threatened with legal action by Stuart Pivar’s lawyer, Michael Little.

I wonder if he’s suing for “tortious interference with his business”? (Or whatever the phrase is.) Perhaps Pivar told him to withdraw the suit, because of all the comments sent to them by Mr. Irons, and so Mr. Little has now lost a client and associated income?

Perhaps it’s for defamation of character, for publicly posting his tearing down of Mr. Little’s work?

(BTW, how do you get that nice quote around quoted material?)

]]> By: Blondin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47502 Blondin Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:49:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47502 You can hear DJ Grothe interview Peter Irons about his book "God on Trial" at the Point of Inquiry podcast website. http://libsyn.com/media/pointofinquiry/POI_2007_07_27_Peter_Irons.mp3 If the link doesn't work just google "pointofinquiry.org". You can hear DJ Grothe interview Peter Irons about his book “God on Trial” at the Point of Inquiry podcast website.

http://libsyn.com/media/pointofinquiry/POI_2007_07_27_Peter_Irons.mp3

If the link doesn’t work just google “pointofinquiry.org”.

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47501 Gary Ansorge Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:30:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47501 I always thought God was synonymous with truth and the Devil was the Great Liar. Seems to me that most of the ID/Creationists crowd are in the Great Liar camp,.,,with Pivar in the front ranks. Ah, NOW we know the True Battle,,,Evil, lying, despotic (read: Demonic) IDers vs. Truth seeking, freedom loving scientists (read: Angels of Light). Finally, we have drawn the line in the sand and find,,,,we're on the Right Side,,, Gee, I bet scientists didn't know that,,, (Darn, satire is a LOT harder than it appears). Gary 7 I always thought God was synonymous with truth and the Devil was the Great Liar. Seems to me that most of the ID/Creationists crowd are in the Great Liar camp,.,,with Pivar in the front ranks. Ah, NOW we know the True Battle,,,Evil, lying, despotic (read: Demonic) IDers vs. Truth seeking, freedom loving scientists (read: Angels of Light).

Finally, we have drawn the line in the sand and find,,,,we’re on the Right Side,,,

Gee, I bet scientists didn’t know that,,,

(Darn, satire is a LOT harder than it appears).

Gary 7

]]> By: J. D. Mack http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47500 J. D. Mack Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:14:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47500 >>There are some wonderful “reviews” of Pivar’s book on Amazon. They were all posted after the lawsuit was filed.>> And I was one of the reviewers! Unfortunately, the threatened lawsuit may have worked as Pivar planned - the book is "currently unavailable." I doubt that Amazon would have pulled the book, so it is more likely that it sold out. >>There are some wonderful “reviews” of Pivar’s book on Amazon. They were all posted after the lawsuit was filed.>>

And I was one of the reviewers!

Unfortunately, the threatened lawsuit may have worked as Pivar planned – the book is “currently unavailable.” I doubt that Amazon would have pulled the book, so it is more likely that it sold out.

]]> By: Darth Robo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47499 Darth Robo Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:15:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47499 Go squids! :) Go squids!
:)

]]> By: Sue Mitchell http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47498 Sue Mitchell Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:41:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47498 Pivar: verb. To publish flagrant crackpottery then cry "foul!" and/or attempt to sue anyone who points out and criticizes said flagrant crackpottery. Yep, we definitely need a word for that... ;-) -- Pivar: verb. To publish flagrant crackpottery then cry “foul!” and/or attempt to sue anyone who points out and criticizes said flagrant crackpottery.

Yep, we definitely need a word for that… ;-)
–

]]> By: SCR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47497 SCR Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:42:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47497 Yeah, pehaps "revealed as the fool he is" would be putting it better. Yeah, pehaps “revealed as the fool he is” would be putting it better.

]]> By: ccpetersen http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47496 ccpetersen Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:55:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47496 Well, he only made himself look like a fool. Perhaps he should sue himself... Well, he only made himself look like a fool. Perhaps he should sue himself…

]]> By: Rasputin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47495 Rasputin Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:08:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47495 I think it's wrong to say Pivar is being made to look like a fool because that kinda implies that he isn't actually a fool. I think it’s wrong to say Pivar is being made to look like a fool because that kinda implies that he isn’t actually a fool.

]]> By: Mena http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47494 Mena Wed, 29 Aug 2007 22:53:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47494 Maybe PZ could send him an assortment of Crockpot Classics. I hear that they are rather yummy. Maybe PZ could send him an assortment of Crockpot Classics. I hear that they are rather yummy.

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47493 Irishman Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:44:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47493 <blockquote>"My attorney withdrew the suit today." </blockquote> What an ambiguous remark. Does that mean "I had my attorney withdraw the suit today, because I realized I was on poor legal ground", or "My attorney, that traitorous louse, withdrew my suit today! I should sue!" As for Little threatening action against Irons, I wonder on what grounds. Was it because Irons revealed in a comment on a blog that he had a conversation with Little and Little admitted the case was unfounded? Does he think the conversation was a legal consultation, and thus merited privilege? Or does he contend that Irons misrepresented what was said, and the result is giving Little an unfair negative reputation? It seems to me he shouldn't have revealed any misgivings about the case to an outside party, attorney or otherwise, and if he intended privilege to stand he should certainly have confirmed that Irons was aware of that condition. Of course I don't know the legalities.

“My attorney withdrew the suit today.”

What an ambiguous remark. Does that mean

“I had my attorney withdraw the suit today, because I realized I was on poor legal ground”,

or

“My attorney, that traitorous louse, withdrew my suit today! I should sue!”

As for Little threatening action against Irons, I wonder on what grounds. Was it because Irons revealed in a comment on a blog that he had a conversation with Little and Little admitted the case was unfounded? Does he think the conversation was a legal consultation, and thus merited privilege? Or does he contend that Irons misrepresented what was said, and the result is giving Little an unfair negative reputation?

It seems to me he shouldn’t have revealed any misgivings about the case to an outside party, attorney or otherwise, and if he intended privilege to stand he should certainly have confirmed that Irons was aware of that condition. Of course I don’t know the legalities.

]]> By: Peter Backus http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47492 Peter Backus Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:43:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47492 There are some wonderful "reviews" of Pivar's book on Amazon. They were all posted after the lawsuit was filed. There are some wonderful “reviews” of Pivar’s book on Amazon. They were all posted after the lawsuit was filed.

]]> By: KaiYeves http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47491 KaiYeves Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:01:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47491 "So, Ben, what do you say we go public- blast this story all over the Internet? Of course, that won't scare Ian away, but..." -Riley Poole, National Treasure No, but it sure works on other bad guys. That's my favorite non-animated, non-science fiction movie! “So, Ben, what do you say we go public- blast this story all over the Internet? Of course, that won’t scare Ian away, but…”
-Riley Poole, National Treasure
No, but it sure works on other bad guys.
That’s my favorite non-animated, non-science fiction movie!

]]> By: JanieBelle http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47490 JanieBelle Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:15:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47490 I think he'll be suing TEH INTERWEBS or Network Solutions or something next. Fruit Loop, thy name is Pivar. Kisses I think he’ll be suing TEH INTERWEBS or Network Solutions or something next.

Fruit Loop, thy name is Pivar.

Kisses

]]> By: SLC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47489 SLC Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:38:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47489 Re Dan Actually, it appears that it is Pivars' lawyer, Mr. Little, who is threatening to sue Mr. Irons. As Ed Brayton says in a thread comment on Prof. Myers blog, bring it on! Re Dan

Actually, it appears that it is Pivars’ lawyer, Mr. Little, who is threatening to sue Mr. Irons. As Ed Brayton says in a thread comment on Prof. Myers blog, bring it on!

]]> By: Leon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47488 Leon Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:26:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47488 Congratulations, Phil. I think. It's good to know you won't have to waste a bunch of money on court costs, at least. I also know this won't stop you from speaking your mind on issues that matter. Keep up the good fight against antiscience! Congratulations, Phil. I think.

It’s good to know you won’t have to waste a bunch of money on court costs, at least. I also know this won’t stop you from speaking your mind on issues that matter. Keep up the good fight against antiscience!

]]> By: Dan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-47487 Dan Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:04:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/29/pz-has-been-saved/#comment-47487 I still think PZ should send the Classic Crackpot a fruit basket with some balloon animals. The weird thing (or weirder thing) is that Pivar went from a frivolous lawsuit against PZ to a really freakin' batty one against Peter Irons. I still think PZ should send the Classic Crackpot a fruit basket with some balloon animals.

The weird thing (or weirder thing) is that Pivar went from a frivolous lawsuit against PZ to a really freakin’ batty one against Peter Irons.

]]>