Wednesday, February 16, 2005

If you can't say something nice about someone ...


... well, just say something snarky about them. Works for me.

And now, the next installment of slapping around the scientific creationists. This piece isn't overly topical (it has nothing to do with Intelligent Design), but it more than makes up for it in pure entertainment value.

One of the sleazier creationists now out doing the circuit is a pompous, know-nothing, weaselly blowhard named "Dr." Kent Hovind, for whom the title "Dr." is quoted for good reason as you'll see shortly. Hovind has his own website and, in a cesspool of other scientific illiterates, Hovind has made a name for himself thanks to a standing offer of $250,000 to anyone "who can give any empirical evidence (scientific proof) for evolution."

No, no, sit down and don't get too excited because there's absolutely no way you're going to collect. First, you can read the details here, which should already make you a bit leery since, if you read carefully, it's pretty much an unwinnable offer. Others have tried, and they've all failed, and you can read why here. Quite simply, when it comes to evaluating submissions for Hovind's prize, Hovind plays all of judge, jury and executioner, so the chances of your winning are somewhere in the neighborhood of, well, squat.

But that's not the fun part. What's more entertaining is trying to figure out how someone who's as much of an ignoramus as Hovind managed to get a doctorate. And those of you who have at least a passing experience with academia should get a real kick out of this article. It's not like reading it will make you any smarter, but at least you'll know what you're up against.

Oh, and Patriot University, Hovind's alma mater? That would be this place. Suddenly, things make a lot more sense, don't they?

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