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Category: News
Posted on: August 6, 2009 11:12 PM, by PZ Myers
I griped before about those sleazy credit report ads with Ben Stein that were appearing all over the site. Well, they seem to have had one fortunate effect: they got Ben Stein fired for ethics violations from his gig at the New York Times.
The NYT has yet to explain why they thought Stein could usefully contribute a column on economics in the first place, however.
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Comments
Posted by: Oscar Leroy | August 6, 2009 11:18 PM
First we lose Bill Kristol, now Ben. how shall we go on?
Posted by: Ken Cope | August 6, 2009 11:19 PM
The NYT has yet to explain why they thought Stein could behave ethically, in light of his performance in Expelled.
Posted by: Owlmirror | August 6, 2009 11:36 PM
LOL!
Have some of this:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/09/26/how-to-make-a-schadenfreude-pie/
Posted by: Zeno | August 6, 2009 11:47 PM
It's too bad that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Expelled is a feature-length proof that Ben Stein hasn't the slightest idea what ethics are.
Posted by: Rtp10 | August 6, 2009 11:51 PM
Ohh man dude is whack. My take:
http://twoandahater.blogspot.com/2009/08/ben-gets-what-he-deserves.html
I couldn't stand him before Expelled, then I kept being in a nightmare (i mean seeing his mug on all those internet sites) and his Shaq commercials made the hate worse.
Posted by: Zeno | August 6, 2009 11:52 PM
Silly me. I completely forgot to mention my post from last year about seeing Expelled and cataloguing some of its atrocities.
But never mind. To heck with that and Ben Stein.
Instead I celebrate Harvey Milk and his Presidential Medal of Freedom honor.
Posted by: Tom Levenson | August 6, 2009 11:52 PM
Kristol...Stein...Douthat...?
Well, a man can dream, can't he?
Posted by: Smoggy Batzrubble | August 6, 2009 11:52 PM
Dear Brother Ben Stein,
I am very sorry to hear you have been fired for ethics violations. Still, as your priority is doing God's work I am sure the only thing you really care about is the fact that your true reward will be in Heaven. To this end, and at God's request, I am in the process of filming a movie about your life which I will screen before the Almighty on Judgment Day. Do not worry, I have talked to all the people who have a good word to say about you (seven so far) and I am now ready to edit my takes into a movie. Unfortunately I am a little over-worked at present and may have to contract the job out to someone else. But as I say, do not worry, I have made a lot of good friends here on Pharyngula, and I am sure a number of them will be glad to help me create a movie the perfectly represents the sort of man you are.
Yours with an eye to eternity
Smoggy Batzrubble
Posted by: Kris | August 6, 2009 11:57 PM
Ah! This makes me so happy! Schadenfreude? Maybe, but, Oh happy day! Oh happy da-ay! When Jes... er, well, Oh Happy Day!
Posted by: shonny | August 7, 2009 12:47 AM
All that is missing is that the little cock-head is run over by a bus, twice, - to be sure. That WOULD make good news.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
|
August 7, 2009 1:03 AM
Ben Stein moans to Glenn Beck about how they "expelled" him for his views on evolution in 4...3...2...
Posted by: anthonzi
|
August 7, 2009 1:08 AM
Who wouldn't ask a TV whore about making money?Posted by: Feynmaniac | August 7, 2009 1:17 AM
More good news:
A federal judge has cleared the way for the government’s seizure of a creationism theme park
Oh oh! I hope they don't shut down Ham's place before your trip tomorrow.
Kent Hovind founded the park. Apparently the theme park claimed "that a few small dinosaurs still rove the planet"[1].
Posted by: anthonzi
|
August 7, 2009 1:19 AM
Also celebration can be had by editting his wiki page. I am too lazy to make up some prose that won't get deleted in under 5 seconds.
Posted by: Brock | August 7, 2009 1:23 AM
EXPELLED!
Haha, ok, so commenter Robert Clark posted that first on the Gawker article, but it's so apt that I had to repeat it.
Posted by: Candy | August 7, 2009 1:27 AM
OT but please Pharyngulate the KCCI Des Moines atheist bus ad poll as well. we're ahead but not by a comfortable margin.
On topic, yes, this is happy, happy news. Goodbye Bennie, don't let the door smack your sanctimonious ass on the way out.
Posted by: Katkinkate | August 7, 2009 2:02 AM
Posted by: Feynmaniac @ 13 "Kent Hovind founded the park. Apparently the theme park claimed "that a few small dinosaurs still rove the planet"[1]."
Actually they're right about that - birds. But that might not be what he meant.
Posted by: Janine, OMnivore | August 7, 2009 2:06 AM
I am having images of the Free Credit Report guys making fun of Stein in song.
Kicked off of the Times dot com
Tell your friends, tell your dad, tell your mom
Never mind, they have been mocking your con
Since you first showed up with your short pants on
Posted by: woodstein312 | August 7, 2009 2:08 AM
Oh Happy Day! Calooo Calai!
Posted by: skyotter | August 7, 2009 2:25 AM
a good omen for #CreoZerg =)
Posted by: Tulse | August 7, 2009 2:39 AM
Gosh, the producers of Expelled must be ashamed that they employed someone without ethics.
Posted by: Vito T | August 7, 2009 3:04 AM
Coming Soon:
Expelled 2: The Liberal Media's attempt to purge its ranks of people ruining their publication's reputation by front-manning cons.
The Subtitle might need a little work...
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | August 7, 2009 3:16 AM
Different parks. Unless Ham has also been tax cheating (which i doubt), it's unlikely that his park will be shut down. Spreading ignorance is unfortunately rarely a crime.
Posted by: josh | August 7, 2009 3:51 AM
Jesus fucking Christ. How could he possibly not understand that?
Posted by: Lilly de Lure | August 7, 2009 4:42 AM
Josh said:
I think it goes along with the job description of "being Ben Stein" . . .
Posted by: Ragutis | August 7, 2009 4:59 AM
Aw gee... that's a damn shame.
Dammit! Someone gimme a paper towel, the sarcasm dripped all over everything.
Posted by: uncle frogy | August 7, 2009 5:07 AM
Ben didn't understand when he signed on with FreeScore that this might pose a potential conflict for him as a contributing columnist for the Times
Jesus fucking Christ. How could he possibly not understand that?
I think it goes along with the job description of "being Ben Stein" . . .
he has been doing that for so long informally how could he have known that openly taking money for telling BS would get him fired.
Posted by: Michael Kingsford Gray | August 7, 2009 5:10 AM
All** 'economists' are egregiously delusional, clinging as they do to countless ludicrous axioms, such as that: the world has infinite resources; or that nature is valueless, etc.
"Economics"=="Religion"
________
** In the same inclusive sense that "Religion poisons Everything".
Those few economists who do not believe this outrageous mathematically provable garbage are at fault merely by not crying out from the rooftops their genocidal*** compatriots' crimes against logic.
*** Yes, I mean that.
Economists have been paramount in killing millions (in, say, Africa) through their absurd doctrines.
Posted by: HLVenkman | August 7, 2009 5:11 AM
Clearly he's being forced out by "Big Journalism"...
Posted by: Bhoytony | August 7, 2009 5:21 AM
"Posted by: shonny | August 7, 2009 12:47 AM
All that is missing is that the little cock-head is run over by a bus, twice, - to be sure. That WOULD make good news."
One other detail is missing - the bus should have large "There's probably no God" advertisement on it's side.
Posted by: 'Tis Himself | August 7, 2009 5:47 AM
Thank you, Michael Kingsford Gray, for showing that you (a) are a prejudiced asshole and (b) don't have a fucking clue about economics or economists.
Posted by: Barry | August 7, 2009 5:53 AM
Stein conceived of his get rich quick scheme after having to pay outrageous prices to access abstracts of scientific papers online from several prominent science journals.
Posted by: 'Tis Himself | August 7, 2009 6:15 AM
I've always thought that Stein's knowledge of economics is on a par with my knowledge of written Sanskrit. I remember his NYT column from two years ago:
Even at the time this was so obviously wrong that I couldn't imagine why Stein wrote it. Real economists like Alan Greenspan, Paul Krugman, Donald Kohn, and (dare I say it?) me had been saying for years that there was going to be a severe "economic adjustment."* Stein declared us all to be Chicken Little "The Sky Is Falling" alarmists. Guess what, Ben, the sky fell.
*Granted, Greenspan and Kohn did not agree with Krugman and me as to the immediate causes of the crash, but we all saw the crash coming.
Posted by: Elf Eye | August 7, 2009 7:04 AM
Candy, the KCCI link is not working.
Posted by: Holbach | August 7, 2009 7:25 AM
I have Comcast, and when I call their number for service or information, they have the gall to run a promotional message by that Stein moron which bugs me. With tough times at hand, maybe I should tell Comcast that if they do not remove that moron from that opening spiel, I'll have to cancel service as I cannot afford a new phone every time I puke into the receiver at that clod's voice.
Posted by: XD | August 7, 2009 7:32 AM
#24
I'm just guessing, but maybe it's because he is profoundly stupid?
Posted by: Vince | August 7, 2009 7:37 AM
Great, now let's see Stein fired from CBS too. End his commentary on CBS Sunday Morning. I'm sick of his insults to intelligence.
Posted by: Captain Justice | August 7, 2009 7:47 AM
Very much agree with #31.
They probably thought he could usefully contribute on economics because his dad was a pretty good economist of some renown (and because of his fancy Ivy League BA).
As for how the apple fell so far from the tree... try to explain that without a talking snake, Dr. Science!
Posted by: daveau | August 7, 2009 9:07 AM
josh@24
He's all theory and no application. Plenty of knowledge. Understanding? Not so much...
Posted by: Islander | August 7, 2009 9:59 AM
Bonez #11- Exactly my thoughts.
If anybody is wondering why Stein was ever even mildly respected as an economist, it's purely because of family ties. His father worked for a former President, Reagan I believe, as a top economics advisor.
Posted by: TreansitionalForm | August 7, 2009 10:24 AM
how he got his NY Times gig? Daddy was a big time economist, infamously serving in the Nixon Whitehouse.
Posted by: Hypatia's Daughter | August 7, 2009 10:48 AM
Well, shit! A BA and he gets a gig as an economics's columnist in the NYTimes?!!
I got an Honours BA in Economics and some post-grad (no thesis, no degree) specializing in econometric analysis....but I have never used it (been a housewife for 20 years) so I would be embarrassed to call myself an economist.
Do ya think I could get Bennie's old job..??
Posted by: stogoe | August 7, 2009 10:55 AM
Elf Eye, it's on the main page on the left side down a bit - www.kcci.com
Posted by: Lighthill | August 7, 2009 12:27 PM
When my wife and I moved last month, I called Comcast, thinking that I would have our service transferred to our new home. A recorded Ben Stein answered the phone. We elected not to continue getting Internet service from Comcast, and told them why when we canceled.
Posted by: Brownian, Most Vicious & Petty of Pharyngulites
|
August 7, 2009 12:36 PM
A bachelor's degree confers upon one an -ist title, according to the New York Times?!
Well hell, henceforth, all of my posts shall carry the signature
Brownian is an anthropologist and, er, earth and atmospheric scientist.
Do one's minor areas of study count as well?
Brownian is an anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, and biologist.
Wait, I've probably acted as much as that nasally shill. (Probably not, but I've got actual stage experience as well as film, TV, and radio.)
Brownian is an actor, anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, and biologist.
Hmm, I do comment here pretty often.
Brownian is a writer, actor, anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, and biologist.
I should probably include my current career as well.
Brownian is a writer, actor, medical geographer and biostatistician, anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, and biologist.
I did give that panhandler the 47¢ I had in my pocket this morning.
Brownian is a philanthropist, writer, actor, medical geographer and biostatistician, anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, and biologist.
And I was allowed to briefly handle the controls of a small glider when I was an air cadet in my teens.
Brownian is a philanthropist, writer, actor, medical geographer and biostatistician, anthropologist, political scientist, earth and atmospheric scientist, biologist, and pilot.
Well, I think that about covers it.
So, how about it NYT? I used your Easy As 1-2-3 Byline CV Generation Method™--can I haz column plz?
Posted by: Luke | August 7, 2009 1:09 PM
It must be yet another evolutionist conspiracy to censor the one true science of Intelligent Design (cue angelic choirs) ...
Posted by: Keith Douglas | August 7, 2009 1:31 PM
josh: We already know the guy has no principles in general; this is just another specific case.
Posted by: Kagehi | August 7, 2009 3:22 PM
I just sent a note to the times suggesting that they should have seen this coming and that maybe it would be better to stop consulting Oooji boards, because it saves time, instead of actually checking facts, or taking a good look at the 'ethics' of their potential new employees. lol
Posted by: Schrodinger | August 7, 2009 3:29 PM
I'm sorry to report that my university has just announced that Ben Stein will be speaking here this fall. I have brought his sorry record to the attention of the powers that be, but it is unlikely that anything will be done since contracts have been signed. I'm going to stir the pot and see whether any sort of protest can be mounted.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | August 7, 2009 5:24 PM
In what way is Ben Stein not like bad schools?
Because even bad schools have principals.
(I know, I know, but sometimes a fellow gets sick of resisting temptation.)
Posted by: logic-rocks | August 7, 2009 9:56 PM
The NYT says Stein's "fine work" for them must end, inviting the questions of when such "fine work" began, and why they kept it a secret while publishing the economics garbage he produced.
Posted by: Madame Furie | August 8, 2009 9:19 AM
Ben Stein is the reason I quit going to my (very liberal) church years ago. The youth minister sent all the parents one if his screeds about bringing back prayer in schools (this was pre-Expelled). I was horrified and sent a letter to her and the ministry team saying that just because we are church people that doesn't mean we should force it on our public schools.
I got no response. Shortly thereafter I stopped going to that particular cult.
That's when I started to realize that perhaps my rational brain was not being used fully and I abandoned the quaint little idea of gods altogether.
Posted by: memyselfi | August 10, 2009 1:03 PM
Thanks for admitting that Stein is a journalist.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | August 10, 2009 1:09 PM
Are you really that incapable of understanding what quotation marks mean?