[net.origins] Farewell

ward@hao.UUCP (Mike Ward) (06/07/85)

Goodbye

ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) (07/24/85)

[]
     I was skipping over the latest postings on Velikovsky when I
thought "why is this stuff in net.origins?"  The answer is, of course,
that *nothing* is too silly for this newsgroup.  Then I thought
"why am I reading it?".  Well, originally I participated quite happily
because it was clearly useful.  I teach elementary astronomy every second
semester or so and it is clearly useful to know what is on my students'
minds when they asked questions inspired by creationism.  To my surprise
I also found that this newsgroup made me think about the foundations of
science in a way that I would not otherwise have found the time for.

     Are these reasons still valid?  I haven't heard any new creationist
arguments in a while.  This means the first reason has gone.  In addition
the discussion seems to have settled in a predictable, and boring, rut,
which shoots down the second.

     All of which is by way of explaining that I'm unsubscribing to this
group.  It's been fun.  I might mention that on the creationist side I've
enjoyed Paul Dubois' postings.  There are a longer list of evolutionist
postings that I've found interesting so rather than list them all I'll just
say thanks.  
-- 

"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas

jho@ihu1m.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (07/29/85)

Ethan Vishniac has indicated that he is unsubscribing to this group.

>      All of which is by way of explaining that I'm unsubscribing to this
> group.  It's been fun.  I might mention that on the creationist side I've
> enjoyed Paul Dubois' postings.  There are a longer list of evolutionist
> postings that I've found interesting so rather than list them all I'll just
> say thanks.  

I agree that a lot of silly material has been flowing through this
news group.  The source of it is not necessarily creationist.  However,
I would like Ethan to reconsider his decision.  Ethan is one of the
few qualified people on the net who can speak on the astronomical
espect of origin with authority.  There are always new readers to
net.origins who may be confused by the posting of the creationist
pseudo-scientists.  I think it is important to fight pseuscience
in what form it takes.  
-- 
Yosi Hoshen, AT&T Bell Laboratories
Naperville, Illinois,  Mail: ihnp4!ihu1m!jho

fritz@phri.UUCP (Dave Fritzinger) (07/30/85)

> Ethan Vishniac has indicated that he is unsubscribing to this group.
> 
> I agree that a lot of silly material has been flowing through this
> news group.  The source of it is not necessarily creationist.  However,
> I would like Ethan to reconsider his decision.  Ethan is one of the
> few qualified people on the net who can speak on the astronomical
> espect of origin with authority.  There are always new readers to
> net.origins who may be confused by the posting of the creationist
> pseudo-scientists.  I think it is important to fight pseuscience
> in what form it takes.  
> -- 
> Yosi Hoshen, AT&T Bell Laboratories
> Naperville, Illinois,  Mail: ihnp4!ihu1m!jho
To all of which I agree strongly!
-- 
Dave Fritzinger
Public Health Research Institute
NY,NY
{allegra!phri!fritz}

"Blasting, billowing, bursting forth with the power of 10 billion 
butterfly sneezes..."

					Moody Blues