Cult of Personality Fun Quiz

[Bill_Thompson]

Which famous talented author promoted the idea that he had all the right answers thus encouraging his fans to follow him without question. And which famous person's fans often blindly attacked and harassed anyone who disagreed with him? Which famous person also promoted themselves as being well educated when their formal education was mediocre in comparison to less famous and successful scientists? Also, between these two which person promoted that the universe is very friendly to the arise of intelligent life thus ignoring data or information that might say otherwise. Which famous person started a group which promoted an ideology which for the most part helped some people while perhaps his followers tended to be heavy-handed and relentlessly mean?

Answer:
[spoiler]Of course, it is L. Ron Hubbard. [/spoiler]

[Lance]

Is this still about you being banned from BAUT, what? 2 years ago?

Or is something else going on?

[Bill_Thompson]

Is this still about you being banned from BAUT, what? 2 years ago?

Or is something else going on?

What?

You should read your email more and "managing" your own web forum less. That is, if commenting personally on most posts thus creating an atmosphere of bias is what you call "managing"

[Lance]

You should read your email more and "managing" your own web forum less. That is, if commenting personally on most posts thus creating an atmosphere of bias is what you call "managing"

I was just wondering why you still seem to be so obsessed with Phil Plait.

[Bill_Thompson]

You should read your email more and "managing" your own web forum less. That is, if commenting personally on most posts thus creating an atmosphere of bias is what you call "managing"

I was just wondering why you still seem to be so obsessed with Phil Plait.

Well, yes, some new shit has been thown my way unexpectedly.

But, at the same time, I hope you find this post to be an attempt of making light of the issue.

By the way, since we are digging up old wounds caused by these Sci-Fi fans and pretentious wanna-be scientists. Let me post an annalogy to help you perhaps understand. I will try to help you understand.

I thought I would post this very general comment.

The way things appear to be sometimes is not the way it really is. And if it something people feel passionate about, if the few of us can figure out the truth, they are often beaten down.

I want to show an analogy. I wonder if any of you have seen this sort video by an acquaintance of mine who runs a political web site in New York:

http://www.gelsana.com/evan.html

"Mere disagreement does not make some evil"

This also shows that things are never as simple as they might seem. It also shows how someone who "can do the math" might be perceived to be an outsider and back-wards thinking.

I want to add that if you follow the herd you just might be led off a proverbial cliff along with them.

[KLA2]

Dr Phil Plait is a man I much respect whose contribution goes beyond scientific accomplishment. He communicates the value and importance of science and makes it entertaining like Carl Sagan, Jacques Cousteau, and others to a public who are hungry for scientific fact but fed on a steady diet of antiscience and pseudoscientific misinformation.

He founded a BB whose rules I have the greatest of respect for. Anyone who cannot abide by those rules of civility and fair play on his board should be ashamed.

In my opinion.

[KLA2]

I should add: this does not mean I think that all members of BAUT, or the mods, or even PP Himself, are perfect and infallible. Individuals whose opinions I respect feel that they have been snubbed or treated cavalierly there; all I can say is, try to get it in perspective. Perfection exists only on IRU; other BB’s do their best. 8)

It dosen’t get much better.

[Bill_Thompson]

Dr Phil Plait is a man I much respect whose contribution goes beyond scientific accomplishment. He communicates the value and importance of science and makes it entertaining like Carl Sagan, Jacques Cousteau, and others to a public who are hungry for scientific fact but fed on a steady diet of antiscience and pseudoscientific misinformation.

Which is also why when Carl Sagan was wrong, people were afraid to speak up. Do you think they should have been?

So lets hope that he gets the message that his devoted followers are using the same sort of harassment techniques that a Scientologist would use to defend their leader.

He founded a BB whose rules I have the greatest of respect for. Anyone who cannot abide by those rules of civility and fair play on his board should be ashamed.

In my opinion.

All the more reason that when the admins make a mistake they should own up to it. And all the more reason that when someone is banned when they feel they should not be, they will be relentlessly defending themselves.

[Bill_Thompson]

I should add: this does not mean I think that all members of BAUT, or the mods, or even PP Himself, are perfect and infallible. Individuals whose opinions I respect feel that they have been snubbed or treated cavalierly there; all I can say is, try to get it in perspective. Perfection exists only on IRU; other BB’s do their best. 8)

It dosen’t get much better.

Which is why the correct answer to the quiz is L. Ron. Hubbard. This is why I made sure to put that in my post. We should not confuse the two.

[KLA2]

I failed to add that Lance, you also run an excellent BB with polite, intelligent members who (almost without exception) know the limits of civility. It is a privilege to be a member. I must admit that I never read the rules here. Lurked for a while, and having read the BA/BAUT rules, simply obeyed them here (except for “appropriate” cursing and “appropriate” sexual innuendo, where I mostly followed the mod’s lead. :P 8)

{edited to add emphasis}

[Lance]

:oops: I failed to add that Lance, you also run an excellent BB with polite, intelligent members who (almost without exception) know the limits of civility. It is a privilege to be a member. I must admit that I never read the rules here. Lurked for a while, and having read the BA/BAUT rules, simply obeyed them here (except for “appropriate” cursing and “appropriate” sexual innuendo, where I mostly followed the mod’s lead. :P 8)

{edited to add emphasis}

The check is in the mail. ;)

[KLA2]

Reminds me of the story of two old friends visiting Canada, one Hungarian, one Czechoslovakian. (Old story). Inexperienced as they were, they decided to go bear hunting.

They came across a mated pair of grizzly’s. The bears killed and ate them.

The game wardens soon found the bears, shot them, and brought them back for autopsy.

The female was dissected first, and the remains of the Hungarian found.

“You know what this means” said the coroner …

… the Czek is in the male.”

[Bill_Thompson]

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie — deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic." - John F. Kennedy

THat is good. Did he really say that?

BTW. James Randi's forum is also a good one.
randi.org

[KLA2]

Yes.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy

[Dragon Star]

:oops: I failed to add that Lance, you also run an excellent BB with polite, intelligent members who (almost without exception) know the limits of civility. It is a privilege to be a member. I must admit that I never read the rules here. Lurked for a while, and having read the BA/BAUT rules, simply obeyed them here (except for “appropriate” cursing and “appropriate” sexual innuendo, where I mostly followed the mod’s lead. :P 8)

{edited to add emphasis}

The check is in the mail. ;)

Did you get mine yet, BTW? :wink:

[KLA2]

Yes. I didn't Goodyear printed cheques. :wink:

[KLA2]

Yes. I didn't Goodyear printed cheques. :wink:

Yes. I didn't know Goodyear printed cheques.

Geeze.

[KLA2]

Lance wrote

The check is in the mail.

Dragonstar wrote

Did you get mine yet, BTW?

Oooh, oooh, I get it now. I am a Paid debunker. 8)

I await, sharpening my letter opener. :D

[Lance]

No. It's a reward for the excellent sucking up you did.

[Bill_Thompson]

People actually voted.
People actually voted for Plait.

You kids missed the point.

What, is everyone here out to make me look bad?

I mean, worse than I am?

If that is possible.

[Lance]

You kids missed the point.

Or were trying to make a different point.

Not everyone here is a fan of the Bad Astronomer. Far from it.

[KLA2]

No. It's a reward for the excellent sucking up you did.

Yes, yes Effendi. You are as generous as you are handsome. {grovel, grovel}

So when does my check arrive??? :P

[Lance]

What, you didn't get it yet?

You might want to check with your mail man. Maybe the Post Office lost it.

[KLA2]

Ya, boss, I got de check. i took it straight to de bunk. :wink:

[KLA2]

Ya, boss, I got de check. I took it straight to de bunk. :wink:

And you were expecting another un-bearable joke?