He writes a letter

Did I really say just blogging was gonna be slow for a while.

Anyway: a recent letter to the Smithsonian re this and this:

To whom it may concern:

Regarding the Discovery Institute's intent to screen "The Privileged Planet": do please accept the offer of the JREF of a donation of $20,000, rather than allowing the Discovery Institute to buy undeserved credibility in so shameless a fashion.

I understand the SI's official stance vis a vis endorsement of the views of material shown at such events. But the reality is the official stance isn't going to carry much weight with such experienced prevaricators as the DI and their fellow travellers using this event in their spin

I love your institution, and what it stands for. Spent a lot of time there, when I lived in the DC environs. And I'm all for hearing out all views in genuine scientific controversies.

But the ID crowd do not satisfy any reasonable standard for credibility, in this regard. They are, rather, deeply, trenchantly, and systematically intellectually dishonest. Their arguments are clearly not made in good faith; rather, they make use of the worst methods of propagandists and PR engineers, in crafting material clearly designed to confuse the unsophisticated.

So aiding them in any way does not serve the cause of furthering scientific literacy. You do not, therefore, I think, want to aid them in any way in their project to undermine good science.

Regards, and please do make the best decision here,

AJ Milne

On a related note, James Randi is da bomb.