…and this is a 
Several people have notified me that this ugly mug is appearing in the ads on this site:
Yep, Ben Stein is hawking "free" credit reports on my site. Only…they aren't free. They aren't useful. And Ben Stein is being an exploitive douchebag.
A few points are worth noting here. First, the score itself is not very useful to consumers. What's useful is the report -- if there's an error on the report, then the consumer can try to rectify it. Secondly, and much more importantly, if you want a free credit report, there's only one place to go: annualcreditreport.com. That's the place where the big three credit-rating agencies will give you a genuinely free copy of your credit report once a year, as required by federal law.
You won't be surprised to hear that freescore.com is not free: in order to get any information out of them at all, you have to authorize them to charge you a $29.95 monthly fee. They even extract a dollar out of you up front, just to make sure that money is there.
Stein, here, has become a predatory bait-and-switch merchant, dangling a "free" credit report in front of people so that he can sock them with a massive monthly fee for, essentially, doing nothing at all. Naturally, the people who take him up on this offer will be those who can least afford it.
The level to which Stein has now sunk is more than enough reason -- as if the case for the prosecution weren't damning enough already -- for the NYT to cancel Stein's contract forthwith. It's simply unconscionable for a newspaper of record to employ as its "Everybody's Business" columnist someone who is surely making a vast amount of money by luring the unsuspecting into overpaying for a financial product they should under no circumstances buy.
Who in their right mind would accept economic advice from Ben Stein, anyway?
Politics
Comments
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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July 16, 2009 5:58 PM
Only Nazis oppose Stein.
We know that because they badmouth Stein, when he's right.
Only people who want to take away our freedoms would say anything against Stein, creationism, or the credit card reports that he represents.
No evidence for Stein or anything he says is needed. Indeed, the excellence of his credit card reports ought to be included in school lessons, and only Nazis say otherwise.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Posted by: AF Comm Guy | July 16, 2009 5:59 PM
Okay, pardon my inter-tubes ignorance. Do you not have control over who advertises on your own website? How does it work exactly?
Posted by: JD | July 16, 2009 6:00 PM
This is snot good.
Posted by: Holbach
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July 16, 2009 6:01 PM
That squirrel he appears with has more brain power than that moron. It does not need to read a teleprompter like that shit-for-brains religious retard. What a maroon.
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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July 16, 2009 6:02 PM
Or anyway, doesn't Seed have that control, and if they don't, why don't they? Would Seed really think they should do anything that supports that charlatan?
Free speech is one thing, but let its dissemination be done on the IDiots'/cretinists' expense.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Posted by: Kobra | July 16, 2009 6:02 PM
We've already known he is a liar, which is but a stone's throw from being a thief and a con artist. I'm not surprised one bit.
Posted by: Paul | July 16, 2009 6:07 PM
Better than the damn Comcast advertisements where Shaquille O'Neal and Ben Stein portray "The Best and the Smartest". I finally caved to the wife's demand for cable (previously had no sort of television, and hadn't seen the ads), sign on to a 1 year contract, and call support to confirm installation and what do I hear? Ben Stein's horrible, droning, science-hating voice.
http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/06/22/why-is-comcast-referring-to-ben-stein-as-the-smartest/
Posted by: Wayfarer | July 16, 2009 6:07 PM
Well you know where he comes from being a creationist. It does seem go hand in hand with being a liar. PZ if we are wrong and there is a god would you just love to be fly on the wall and listen to him account for his deeds in life.It almost makes being a theist tempting.Nah
Posted by: alextangent | July 16, 2009 6:09 PM
Sinking ever lower? Hang on, how can he sink below "Expelled"?
Posted by: voix humaine | July 16, 2009 6:09 PM
this is why I love the adblock plus plugin for firefox.
Posted by: Bronze Dog | July 16, 2009 6:10 PM
Why, oh, why do I keep getting surprised by newly discovered layers of slime under Creationists? I should know by now it's an infinite onion of sliminess.
Posted by: August Pamplona | July 16, 2009 6:11 PM
I second the sentiment with regard to Adblock Plus.
Posted by: Lynna | July 16, 2009 6:12 PM
I kept seeing the Stein face on Pharyngula pages and I thought it was a joke, you know, macabre humor.
Posted by: James F | July 16, 2009 6:12 PM
Expelled did wonders for his career as a pitchman, apparently. They still play those annoying Clear Eyes ads on the radio.
Posted by: Kausik Datta | July 16, 2009 6:13 PM
For exactly the same reason, I wish I could cancel by Comcast Cable TV and Internet subscription. Shaq and Stein have teamed up to hawk the 'greatness' of Comcast recently. Like other "Steinized" products, Comcast is excessively overpriced, and Comcast engages in predatory practices - while providing poor customer support.
But I can't. Not in my area. I have no alternative.
This is what hell is. I know my atheism was going to land me in it eventually...
Ah, well.
Posted by: Physicalist | July 16, 2009 6:14 PM
What I wish I'd known last year is that the actual credit reporting agencies (TransUnion & Experian) will sell you your credit "score" for a fee, and then it turns out it's not the actual FICO score that the banks care about.
So you pay them $30 bucks or whatever to monitor your score, and it looks like you're good to go for a loan with a 700 credit score. Then you go apply for the loan, and your real FICO score is 80 points lower. No loan. Readjust plans for refinancing. Out $30+ bucks. Pain in the butt.
Yes, I was stupid. (But in my defense, most of the time I just don't care about my FICO score.)
The only place I've found to get your actual FICO score is MyFico.com (affiliated with Equifax, I believe). All the other "scores" they sell are just scams.
Posted by: blf | July 16, 2009 6:16 PM
I haven't seen any of the Russian slaves or Asian slaves ads recently, so I presume Seed did as they said they would and got them removed from the Seed-feed. I haven't seen the BS ad (yet?); what I do see, often, are ads en Français (presumably because I'm in France and despite assorted clews being set that I'd prefer Anglais). I have absolutely no recollection of what the froggy ads are trying to sell.
Posted by: randy | July 16, 2009 6:19 PM
I visited their website (freescore) and it was not clear to me if they were hawking Vantage scores (the scores the credit repositories developed to compete with FICO scores) or FICO scores (the scores that are actually being used for lending purposes). If it is Vantage scores as I suspect, users unfamiliiar with the way this works will be further frustrated when they go to lenders thinking they are golden based on a score... only to find the lenders are using a different model. The Vantage scores can skew upwards of 100 points higher than FICO on the same credit profile.
Just thought I would point out how this is even scummier than the previous posted said.
Posted by: Cokehead | July 16, 2009 6:19 PM
Hurray for Adblock Plus! I don't have to see the idiotic dolt's face while giving homage to the Almight PZ.
Does remind me that I've been meaning to whitelist scienceblogs for some time now..
Any idea on when this ad will be removed?
Posted by: Screechy Monkey | July 16, 2009 6:20 PM
Ben was planning to start a new game show, "Win Ben Stein's Integrity," but it failed to attract any contestants.
Posted by: SC, OM | July 16, 2009 6:21 PM
***OT HONDURAS UPDATE***
Narco News is reporting that blockades organized by popular movements are paralyzing the country:
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/day-19-peaceful-blockades-vs-coup-paralyze-honduras
Meanwhile, the AP has reports that Zelaya is on his way back, but no one's saying how. Hopefully, the coup regime can be brought down peacefully. I'm watching Telesur, and will update with any major developments.
Posted by: Jadehawk, OM
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July 16, 2009 6:21 PM
I generally keep on getting shutterstock ads. which means seed is spying on my browsing habits!!!!11one!
Posted by: MadScientist | July 16, 2009 6:21 PM
Aurgh! My AdBlock+ is being bypassed! First on Jerry's site now here. Why won't Ben Stein just go away?
Posted by: stangz66 | July 16, 2009 6:26 PM
...voodoo economics...
Posted by: Stardrake
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July 16, 2009 6:27 PM
"Who in their right mind would accept economic advice from Ben Stein, anyway?"
People in their right minds aren't his target market....
Posted by: randy | July 16, 2009 6:27 PM
damn... #16 beat me to the gist of my comment. I am always to slow around here. I can add one little additional tidbit... you can't buy your Experian FICO score at myfico.com. Not sure exactly why that is but that means that Joe consumer can't get there from here at the moment.
Posted by: ThirdMonkey | July 16, 2009 6:28 PM
"Who in their right mind would accept economic advice from Ben Stein, anyway?"
Fox news...
I see them interviewing that asshat all the time.
Posted by: OurDeadSelves | July 16, 2009 6:35 PM
Is anyone really surprised that a Nixon speech writer would pimp himself out so shamelessly?
Posted by: MC Tanuki | July 16, 2009 6:36 PM
I just wanna say, PZ, that your blog is my favorite, for precisely these sorts of posts. Yes, your own posts are quite excellent in and of themselves, but you go that extra mile and post about interesting stuff from other blogs, which allows people to see such posts without having 500 different science, atheism, and skepticism blogs in their bookmarks or RSS feeds (not to mention the woo-woo, Disco 'tute, and other horrifying internet atrocities you cull for our entertainment).
So thank you sir. I do wonder, though, how the hell you manage to read all these blogs every day, post to your own blog, and carry out a job and personal life. I have a hard enough time reading three or four blogs during a normal day.
Posted by: Slaan
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July 16, 2009 6:39 PM
1st. Totally not surprised that Stein is sinking even lower
2nd. People with adblock plus. I know you love it, as I have it too, and I also love it with my heart and soul. But, sometimes, you have to turn it off. If SEED wasn't getting Ad money, then they would likely have to turn off Scienceblogs. That is why I turn ABP off for Scienceblogs. Support your blogs!
Posted by: red rabbit | July 16, 2009 6:50 PM
But he's an actor!
Famous for being Ferris Bueller's boring history teacher, not to mention host of the ever hilarious and offensive "America's Most Smartest Model."
(BS: You have to do the catwalk while doing a mental exercise. Here we go: Name things that are ROUND
Nude-Model-Hoping-To-Be-Respected: Balloons, cookies, the moon, balloons, the sun, the moon....)
Why would anyone believe anything he's saying? He's a paid liar. It's his chosen profession, people!
Posted by: T. Bruce McNeely | July 16, 2009 7:07 PM
One has to wonder about the geniuses who thought that placing an ad with Ben Stein on Science Blogs was a GOOD IDEA. As I commented in Greg Laden's post, this belongs on Failblog.org.
Posted by: Sili
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July 16, 2009 7:07 PM
Don't we have to actually click the ads for them to give Seed money?
Posted by: Physicalist | July 16, 2009 7:09 PM
I try to, but then the ads get so damn annoying that the block goes back on. Quit it with the motion ads that perpetually distract, and I'll leave off the ad-block. (And how many sites are covered with rolls of fat or bad teeth? No thank you.)Posted by: August Pamplona | July 16, 2009 7:10 PM
I second the sentiment with regard to Adblock Plus.
Posted by: Zarquon | July 16, 2009 7:21 PM
I think ad views don't get Seed any revenue, it takes a click-through. And as I would never use an on-line advertisement as a link anyway AdBlock+ is just making my browsing better.
Besides, Seed would get most of their ad money from the magazine.
Posted by: BlueIndependent
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July 16, 2009 7:22 PM
I've also started seeing his face adorning those generic house refinance/get your degree/auto insurance ads that adorn nearly every major site I visit. They don't pimp his name, just his face, which makes me think they're using his face outside of his knowing so.
Posted by: chris | July 16, 2009 7:27 PM
Does the adbar at the top use java? I'm not running adblock and I'm not getting the ads, but I am running NoScript which blocks java unless I specifically approve the serving url.
Posted by: littlejohn | July 16, 2009 7:39 PM
Along the same lines, don't fall for those apparently likable band members singing the praises of "free credit report dot com."
I tried it. They billed my credit card. I guess you can call something free, even if you're lying.
May I offer my free advice.com to anyone? I'll just need a credit card number for, you know, whatever.
Posted by: J.D. | July 16, 2009 7:40 PM
Well first we have Ben Stein's image popping up all over PZ's blog and now this:
Jumbo squid spook divers off San Diego
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31949524/ns/us_news-life/
The coming of Cthulhu is nigh!
Posted by: Richard Collins | July 16, 2009 7:52 PM
I nominate Ben Stein for recognition on Dickopedia
Posted by: Richard Collins | July 16, 2009 7:55 PM
I nominate Ben Stein for recognition on Dickopedia
Posted by: Optimus Primate | July 16, 2009 7:56 PM
PZ Said:
Inconceivable!Posted by: JackC
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July 16, 2009 8:01 PM
Bull Shit
Ben Stein
Bart Sibrel
Do I detect a pattern?
Anyone want to add to the list?
JC
Posted by: sylvia G | July 16, 2009 8:04 PM
How does someone so intelligent become so willfully ignorant? Well, I think Ben Stein hates himself...i can agree with him there. (hate is such a harsh word, but ... Ben needs to stop)
Posted by: Grizzly | July 16, 2009 8:20 PM
I hate Stein as much as the next non ra-tard, but don't 99% of internet ads peddle worthless dog shit?
Posted by: george.w | July 16, 2009 8:20 PM
Relax; the only people who would fall for a scam because Stein's face is on it, are people who would watch Expelled at church events. Is there any point in trying to protect them?
Posted by: Hypatia's Daughter | July 16, 2009 8:35 PM
Drats. Someone on another blog talked about the those ads - and I cannot remember who. IIRC, companies buy ad space and ads get run randomly - sort of like TV ads.
I also believe that that the 3 credit unions are REQUIRED by law to send you a copy of your report, no charge, up to once a year. This site has info: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
Anyone who charges for a credit report is selling you air; it's not illegal but if people are dumb enough to pay for what they can get for free - hey, that's free enterprise! (Often they also offer other services that might or might not be worth the money.)
I found a lot of that when I moved to the US. People charging a lot of money to do what you can do yourself. I worked next door to a place that applied for passports & visas, for a fee. (Up to $500 to get one within 24 hours!) OK, a businessman sent overseas suddenly might find this is a convenient service, but anyone can apply directly to the gov't for one, so why pay someone else to fill in & mail paperwork??
Posted by: rob | July 16, 2009 8:50 PM
/etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
no muss, no fuss
Posted by: Holbach
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July 16, 2009 8:55 PM
Stein's web site: Loser.com
Posted by: Ryan | July 16, 2009 9:18 PM
I got locked out of all my credit reports a few years ago. The problem was that I was a student in Austin for 6 years and moved every single year. Unfortunately several of my addresses were on the same street and you only get two or three guesses to prove you are who you say you are.
Posted by: Tomecat | July 16, 2009 9:21 PM
@Optimus Primate:
You keep using this word. I do not think it means what you think it means. (/inigo montoya)
Posted by: A Recovering Catholic | July 16, 2009 9:25 PM
Ben Stein is a Christian, you can trust him. 'roll eyes'
Posted by: Joseph Smidt | July 16, 2009 9:29 PM
I saw Ben Stein on Glenn Beck, and lets just say it was bad. Between the two of them there were more distortions then you could shake a stick at.
I can't remember all the specifics but they kept saying things like: "Biologists say living things jumped from mud puddles as they shocked by lightning."
Lots of distortions and fear mongering.
Posted by: Rodger T NZ
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July 16, 2009 9:43 PM
Lowlife scum is as lowlife scum does.
Posted by: democommie | July 16, 2009 9:57 PM
Joseph Smidt:
""Biologists say living things jumped from mud puddles as they shocked by lightning.""
Obviously a distortion. Now, if they had said:
"Living things jumped from dung heaps as they were shocked by lightning"?
Well, that might be their personal experience.
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | July 16, 2009 10:08 PM
Free credit report. Sure, but you have to pay! And these ripoff artists are raking it in. Stein just saw an opportunity to earn money by not only doing nothing, but charging others for his pleasure. The never ending mind boggle is trying to parse people's values.
I'm not surprised that some people would pay for a free service. Many years ago, Don "Mad's Maddest Artist" Martin drew a panel featuring an advertisement for Finster's Food Chewing Service.
Perhaps Ben would be interested in a toothsome deal?
Posted by: Walter Silveira | July 16, 2009 10:14 PM
Ohman, what!? AdBlocker+ hurts ad revenue for scienceblogs? I'll whitelist it if that really is this case, but is it tallying based on clicks or simply how many times its code is executed on a browser?
Posted by: Jayne | July 16, 2009 10:21 PM
#53 - Stein's a Jew ;)
Posted by: Jayne | July 16, 2009 10:24 PM
#53 - Stein's jewish *thumbsup*
Posted by: puzzled? | July 16, 2009 10:49 PM
you have ads?
Posted by: ursulamajor | July 17, 2009 12:00 AM
A few weeks ago, I finally got fed up with seeing his face on the Comcast ads, so I sent this letter to them:
"I am more than dismayed at your use of Ben Stein in your recent ad campaign. I used to think he was an okay guy. Then he came out with the film "Expelled". It and he are repugnant in their view that science is evil and evolution was the cause of the Holocaust. It's extremist hate mongering that gives ignorant people more fuel for their rantings. A technical business like Comcast wouldn't be possible without science. I never thought about buying a dish system, but I'm seriously thinking about it now."
As expected, I received the usual "Sorry our commercial was offensive to you..." form letter. But that night I slept a bit more peacefully.
Posted by: Jeff S | July 17, 2009 12:00 AM
I'm moving in 2 weeks, and as a result I get to cancel my comcast cable and internet. I can't wait to tell them the reason is because they used Ben Stein in a commercial. While not techinically true, comcast has a monopoly as far as cable goes in my area (the only real alternative being DSl, which is not an alternative to comcast, its much better.) It just disgusts me that my money indirectly goes to a man who loves ignorance and wishes to spread it to the masses.
Posted by: AlanWCan | July 17, 2009 12:51 AM
Kent Hovind?Posted by: SEF | July 17, 2009 3:53 AM
@ blf #17:
I did note at the time that it didn't appear to be an offer of more frogs - which would at least have been of some interest if impractical (probably wrong species). I think it said something about algae in a tank but my tank already has algae (along with the last few tadpoles) and I don't know why anyone who wanted just algae for some reason would risk getting a frog mixed up in it. They'd surely order from a company who guaranteed pure, frog-free algae. So it must have been some sort of inept eco message.
I'm not very good at adverts. They seldom seem to make any sense or offer anything I'd want to buy. Some are so revolting in themselves that I'm obliged to turn them off, hit mute or whatever (eg the M&S ads or the one with the out-of-tune whistling noise).
Posted by: Rorschach | July 17, 2009 4:44 AM
To be honest, I dont feel any obligation to Seed or anyone else for that matter, to look at their ad feeds.That people would suggest there is some sort of moral obligation to read unwanted advertisements because you like one particular weblog is quite ludicruos.
ABP and flashblock is my way of keeping websites readable.
Posted by: Andyman | July 17, 2009 7:41 AM
Well I'm lucky. I've only got an ad for Seed Magazine
Posted by: Anri | July 17, 2009 8:11 AM
But wait...
Don't the massive royalty checks from the overwhelming success of Expelled support any possible lifestyle Ben would care to lead?
...maybe he's just doing this out of the goodness of his heart - you know, concern for the little people...
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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July 17, 2009 8:17 AM
KH is in his right mind?Posted by: dinkum | July 17, 2009 8:58 AM
Mabus, if anybody's wondering. Note the trademark GarbleWarbleFarble sentence structure.
Posted by: Paul | July 17, 2009 9:07 AM
firefox + adblock = no ben stein in sight
Posted by: PGPWNIT
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July 17, 2009 9:16 AM
What's worse? Ben taking money from FreeScore? or Science Blogs taking money from them?
Posted by: b00ger | July 17, 2009 9:19 AM
@10 Re: Adblock plus
Thanks for that. I'd never heard of something like that. One of the best ad-dons ever
Posted by: Deepsix | July 17, 2009 9:51 AM
I wish I had Comcast just so I could call in and cancel it.
Posted by: VegeBrain | July 17, 2009 10:06 AM
Some diseases you just can't get rid of.
Posted by: bdc | July 17, 2009 2:43 PM
That is an epically unappealing picture of him. Looks like he's morphing into Ben Wattenberg or about to start seeking "braaaaiiiins".
Posted by: Rodney | July 17, 2009 8:47 PM
It's too bad he's taking advantage of people. I can guarantee he's not taking advantage of any of my associates. We recognize his face and we're not that naive.
Posted by: BK | July 17, 2009 11:08 PM
Really, it appears to me that Stein is nothing more than an actor these days that sells the role he's been typecast into to the highest bidder. With enough money we could probably just as easily purchase him for an atheist film. All he has is a nerdy look and a voice to put people to sleep...not much else.