Science Blogger Sued for Unfavorable Book Review

tigerhawkvok writes "Recently, new author Stuart Privar provided Professor PZ Meyers of Pharyngula a copy of his book, Lifecode, for review. Over the course of the review itself and a few follow-ups, it became evident that the content was nonsense (including, among other things, ten-legged spiders and other phenomena strongly at odds with developmental biology). However, the common threat of lawsuits finally became a reality, and now Privar is suing Myers for $15 million. Can calling someone a 'classic crackpot' in the face of such incorrect data have any chance at making it to court, or even winning the suit?"

Comments

Kill a future cop. Support the war in Iraq.

[Anonymous Coward]

Kill a future cop. Support the war in Iraq.

Soldiers often go on to become police. Police uphold a fascist state. By the time they have a badge and a gun it is too late. They must die before then, so I say we let the Iraqis take care of them.

Fuck all redneck soldiers, the future police men. Fuck you and your oppression. I have been persecuted by your fascist compatriots. I have more sympathy for the insurgency than I do for you.

So die in Iraq, you fascist waste of humanity.

Re:Kill a future cop. Support the war in Iraq.

[Anonymous Coward]

I wish you would die.

Re:Kill a future cop. Support the war in Iraq.

[Anonymous Coward]

I am skeptical you have ever had first hand experience of living in a fascist state.

Perhaps when we dump this common law nonsense for a proper Sharia legal system, we can experience a totalitarian system first hand.

Of course first thing we will have to kill all the homosexuals and atheists. And if you don't pray in the right way or often enough you will have to be reeducated.

Be prepared to welcome your Islamic Jihadist Overlords.

Re:Kill a future cop. Support the war in Iraq.

[Anonymous Coward]

The US has the highest percentage of its population incarcerated of any country in the world. I have been through the criminal 'justice' system which rewards mass murderers like George W Bush and punishes drug users who at worst harm themselves.

Fuck the police. Die in Iraq.

In these times?

[Opportunist]

When fiction is being tought in schools as a "valid theory"? No doubt about it.

Re:When Wealthy Christians and Crackpots Attack!

[Goaway]

I don't see you complaining about Scientology being bashed. I can only assume you think THAT is ok because you are a Christian, otherwise you'd have mentioned that as well. I'm pretty sure you assume that because you're a bigot.

As it turns out, I'm strictly an atheist. I'm just not so insecure in my beliefs that I need to lash out at everybody who isn't, or who I imagine isn't.

Re:When Wealthy Christians and Crackpots Attack!

[ShieldW0lf]

Just because someone publishes something that is wrong, doesn't mean you're allowed to publish statements that they're a crackpot. It's libel.

It doesn't serve the public interest to make general statements about this person. All it does is damage their reputation. That's libel.

He might be a brilliant businessman, rational, good at math, but took a leap of intuition when it comes to biology. One book of speculative pseudo-science doesn't mean he's a crackpot, yet now his name is attached to that label in the minds of millions who will never read his book.

The guy who wrote the review looks pretty guilty to me.

Re:When Wealthy Christians and Crackpots Attack!

[caseydk]

If you read much of PZ Meyers, you'll see a kettle/pot relationship here.