Hi-

Been busy with the book and stuff, but will get back to you at greater length later this week. Meanwhile:

http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/11/30/on-the-origin-of-specious-arguments/

Ha. Ha.

Barrett

On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 12:48 PM, Robert Luhn <luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>> wrote:

    Sir: Nice of you to write. And I think we're experiencing a bit of
    synchronicity. For starters, I just finished a campaign we mounted
    in opposition to Ray Comfort, the infamous creationist (and pal of
    Kirk Cameron) who is famous for his banana video. (If you haven't
    seen this, hie thee to
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z-OLG0KyR4). My response? I wrote
    a little faux PSA and assembled a crew and shot the thing
    (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXwZM81XDUA). Fun stuff this.

    Haven't been tapped as a head writer, but am trolling in some of
    the same realms as you. Have a "30 Rock" script that NBC has
    apparently agreed to look at, and another one in the hands of
    Comedy Central. The kicker, of course, is finding an agent who
    handles this kind of stuff--namely, TV comedy. Any recommendations?

    But back to your note. Yep, if you dig into ID, let us know. We
    have, um, ideas on this!

    Promoting same? I guess pretty much what I did with our faux PSA.
    I flogged it on Facebook and Myspace, twittered about it, sent
    emails to every journalist and blogger that I thought was
    appropos, used a press release distribution service (like
    Newswise), and tried to find like minded organizations (like, say,
    Americans United) to flog the thing as well. Finding allies is key!

    I'm with  you on the unnecessary part. I was at a biosci teachers
    conference last week, and I told alot of people that I'll be glad
    when the NCSE doesn't have to exist anymore!

    r


        Howdy, Robert-

        First off, I picked up a copy of that PR/marketing book you
        recommended; have only had a chance to scan it a bit so far
        but some of the sections do appear to be very useful, so
        thanks for the tip.

        Second, I've been asked to serve as head writer on a
        television pilot (and the series if it gets picked up); it's
        to be an investigative (read: ambush) journalism program with
        a little humor mixed in and pretty cool all-around format. If
        we do the series, I'll ensure that we cover intelligent design
        or something of that nature ASAP, and that we do it in an
        extraordinarily mean way.

        Third, our PAC Enlighten the Vote is about to release its
        first 30-second promotional spot via YouTube and reddit and
        whatnot; I wrote the script a while back and finally found
        someone to actually put it together, and am expecting it back
        by December 5th. If you have any ideas on how to best promote
        it and all that, please let me know.

        I've been finishing up my book this month so haven't written a
        single article for HuffPo or anything, but am planning a
        campaign of terror or at least annoyance directed at Dembski
        and his cohorts just in time for Christmas.

        Also, Michael Shermer is writing for True/Slant now. We've got
        a nice little skeptic contingent going over there.

        Anyway, hope things are going well over there at the NCSE.
        Here's hoping that both our organizations become unnecessary
        at some point in the country's future.

        Regards,

        Barrett Brown
        Brooklyn, NY
        512-560-2302

        On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 3:09 PM, Robert Luhn <luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org> <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>> wrote:

           Coooool. Thanks!

           r

               Great, I'll probably give you a ring next week. In the
               meantime, I give the NCSE permission to reprint any of my
               materials that appear on Huffington Post and
        True/Slant, as I
               retain the rights to those works. Here's my latest piece on
               intelligent design nonsense, by the way:

                      http://trueslant.com/barrettbrown/2009/09/04/intelligent-design-advocate-mocking-of-scientist-by-other-scientists-a-century-ago-is-evolutions-legacy-of-shame/

               Thanks,

               Barrett Brown
               Brooklyn, NY
               512-560-2302

               On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 6:35 PM, Robert Luhn
        <luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
               <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
               <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>>>
        wrote:

                  Sir: Feel free to contact us when the need arises.
        As for
               humorous
                  slap downs...ooooh, you're on the list. (I loved
        Amazon's
               take as
                  your book being "serenely offensive". God knows we could
               use more
                  of that.)

                  Ah...and you're a fellow Dir. of Comm. (Before I got
        this
               gig last
                  year, I was a journalist for mannnny years.) Well,
        you got Qs
                  about promoting stuff? Let's talk. Gimme a ring
        someday and
               I'll
                  share with ye what I know.

                  One resource I'd recommend you check out: "The New
        Rules of
                  Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs,
        Podcasting,
                  Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers
        Directly" by
                  David M. Scott. Some of his ideas are pretty
        obvious....but
               some
                  aren't. and it's a good all around look at the trad
        and modern
                  tools at one's disposal. I mean, I used to run tech pubs
               like PC
                  World,Computer Currents and CNET...and even I found some
               gems in
                  here. So worth a look.

                  Anyways, call when the mood strikes. My number is at the
               bottom of
                  the page....

                  r



                      Hi, Robert-

                      Thanks for getting in touch. I'm very familiar
        with the
               NCSE
                      and the work it does, and I may take you up on your
               offer of
                      informational assistance in the future. Also, if the
               NCSE is
                      in need of any humorous take-downs of anyone or
        any other
                      written materials with which to promote the
        organization or
                      get a particular point across, I'd be happy to
        provide
               them.

                      Incidentally, I also serve as director of
               communications for
                      Enlighten the Vote, formerly GAMPAC; I'm barely
        27 and not
                      entirely well-versed in the particular mechanics of
               political
                      advocacy or anything else other than writing, so
        if you
               have
                      any general advice on how to go about promoting
        the PAC
               (for
                      instance, sending out press releases), I'd love
        to hear
               them.

                      Don't hesitate to let me know if there's
        anything I can
               do for
                      you and the NCSE.

                      Thanks again,

                      Barrett Brown
                      Brooklyn, NY
                      512-560-2302

                      On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 2:42 PM, Robert Luhn
               <luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>
                      <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org> <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>>
               <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>

                      <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org> <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>>>>

               wrote:

                         Dear Mr. Brown:

                         Have been enjoying your posts on Huff and Vanity
               Fair. (And, of
                         course, your classic "Flock of Dodos"). Hence
        this note!

                         I work for the National Center for Science
        Education
                      (NCSE), the
                         leading organization that promotes and
        defends the
               teaching of
                         evolution in the public schools. (You might
        have seen us
                      covered
                         in the Nova documentary "Judgment Day:
        Intelligent
               Design on
                         Trial". Then again, you may have talked with
        Genie
               Scott, our
                         executive director, a dozen times. In which case,
               this note
                      is moot!)

                         We've been involved in the issue for 25
        years, and
               we're a
                      ready
                         resource should you ever need background
               information, access to
                         independent experts (local and national), and
        more,
               for any
                      future
                         jottings you might tackle on evolution,
               creationism/ID, science
                         denial, or related topics. There's a lot to talk
               about in this
                         realm, notably, the spread of "academic
        freedom" bills
                      designed to
                         smuggle creationism back into the classroom
        (such as the
                      one that
                         passed in Louisiana), and state boards of
        education
                      fiddling with
                         science standards (as we've recently seen in
        Texas).
                      Well...don't
                         hesitate to contact us!

                         Yours,

                         Robert Luhn
                         Director of Communications
                         National Center for Science Education, Inc.
                         420 40th Street, Suite 2
                         Oakland, CA 94609-2509
                         510-601-7203 x314
                         fax: 510-601-7204
                         800-290-6006
                         luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>
        <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>>
               <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>
        <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>>>
               <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>
        <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>>
                      <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>
        <mailto:luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>>>>

                         www.ncse.com <http://www.ncse.com>
        <http://www.ncse.com>
               <http://www.ncse.com> <http://www.ncse.com>



                         p.s. If you'd like to receive our weekly email
               newsletter, just
                         let me know and I can add you to our list.(Don't
                      worry--this isn't
                         spam. It's our weekly tracking of the ongoing
               evolution vs.
                         creationist debate, from new state laws to local
               flare-ups of
                         anti-evolution activity.)




                  --    Robert Luhn
                  Director of Communications
                  National Center for Science Education, Inc.
                  420 40th Street, Suite 2
                  Oakland, CA 94609-2509
                  510-601-7203 x314
                  fax: 510-601-7204
                  800-290-6006
                  luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>
               <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>>
                  www.ncseweb.org <http://www.ncseweb.org>
        <http://www.ncseweb.org>
               <http://www.ncseweb.org>


           E

           --    Robert Luhn
           Director of Communications
           National Center for Science Education, Inc.
           420 40th Street, Suite 2
           Oakland, CA 94609-2509
           510-601-7203 x314
           fax: 510-601-7204
           800-290-6006
           luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>
        <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org <mailto:luhn@ncseweb.org>>
           www.ncseweb.org <http://www.ncseweb.org>
        <http://www.ncseweb.org>




    --     Robert Luhn
    Director of Communications
    National Center for Science Education, Inc.
    420 40th Street, Suite 2
    Oakland, CA 94609-2509
    510-601-7203 x314
    fax: 510-601-7204
    800-290-6006
    luhn@ncse.com <mailto:luhn@ncse.com>
    http://www.ncse.com
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/evolution.ncse
    YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/NatCen4ScienceEd
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/ncse