Quackometer pulled by its ISP

[tkingdoll]

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=106799

This is bad news. Legal threats from homeopaths, no less.

Is there anything we can do? Hosting options?

[Mongrel]

IIRC he had a few offers from other ISPs that had bigger balls, he was just mulling it over because of the work involved in transferring the blog and the Quackometer.

I doubt we've seen the last of the canard O0

Edit - The Homeopaths are crowing and telling everyone to prep the lawyers Vs Netcetera (here (http://www.nhsalternativemedicine.com/2008/01/quackometer-blog-is-hosted-by-netcetera.html)) although I did notice that they're advertising 'evidence based alternative medicine' books from that major scientific publishing house Lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com/uk/)

[Mojo]

Legal threats from homeopaths, no less.


Not homoeopaths this time: it's the gentleman featured in this story: Joseph Chikelue Obi (http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/tm_objectid=14557214&method=full&siteid=50081&headline=shamed-doctor-probe-name_page.html). He has a company called the Royal College of Alternative Medicine (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/banned-doctor-claims-to-head-college-that-does-not-exist-266728.html). While Obi appears to be based in the UK, his company is registered in Dublin.

ETA: if you want to see what Obi has achieved so far with this, try a google.co.uk search for him. ;)

[Mojo]

Previous thread here (http://www.skeptics.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2016).

[tkingdoll]

Whoops I'm behind the times!

I hope he finds a new ISP and replaces the site without the offending content, pending legal advice about whether or not it is actually libellous. Of course, that would require a bit of cash, but I'm up for starting a whip round!

Most lawyers will tell you that everything is libellous and to err on the side of caution, but you can usually narrow it down to one or two offending sentences and simply remove those.

I might drop him an email and suggest this. If he can be arsed to replace the site (I hope so) then it's worth having had the legal advice as well because this won't be the only threat.

JREF may take an application for help with costs, actually. At least, that's what they say one of their remits is.

[bindeweede]

Whoops I'm behind the times!

I hope he finds a new ISP and replaces the site without the offending content, pending legal advice about whether or not it is actually libellous. Of course, that would require a bit of cash, but I'm up for starting a whip round!

Most lawyers will tell you that everything is libellous and to err on the side of caution, but you can usually narrow it down to one or two offending sentences and simply remove those.

I might drop him an email and suggest this. If he can be arsed to replace the site (I hope so) then it's worth having had the legal advice as well because this won't be the only threat.

JREF may take an application for help with costs, actually. At least, that's what they say one of their remits is.

Tk,

Is this something UKS could possibly contemplate. Or would it be too much of a commitment?

[Mongrel]

Good news - he's working on converting his site from asp to php so that he can host on Postive Internet, who've given him free hosting :smiley:

More details over at the JREF (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=3451465&postcount=12)

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

This was on The Register today as well, so it's definately 'out there' in the internet world. Obi has reduced himself to a laughing stock.

I don't really blame the ISP either, I can understand their fears about the damage and cost to their business by having to deal with this.

[yanny]

Hi.....
This site is really cool man....
The url links provided were really useful.....
Thanks.....

[lost thought]

Legal threats from homeopaths, what lawyer would want to represent but then remembered lawyers get paid what ever the outcome and homeopaths have plenty of money from being woo merchants. am I allowed to say woo merchants. ;D

I think that would be good in court see if the woo merchants can come up with real scientific evidence. :cheesy:

Even if they couldn't thier followers of woo would still shell out because they have faith and believe.......;D

William >:D

[Mongrel]

Oh, and you necroed the thread at an auspicious time yanny.

The quackometer is finally back up and running today so you can check if a site is woo or not :smiley:

http://www.quackometer.net/?page=quackometer

[tkingdoll]

Oh, and you necroed the thread at an auspicious time yanny.



I suspect it's a 'build a post count' post from someone who is about to spam us. I may be wrong, but I know the signs.

[Mongrel]

I suspect it's a 'build a post count' post from someone who is about to spam us. I may be wrong, but I know the signs.

Agreed, but may as well make the best of a bad situation :smiley:

[skbuncks]

I suspect it's a 'build a post count' post from someone who is about to spam us. I may be wrong, but I know the signs.

The suspense is killing me. What wonderful life changing goodies do you think we are to be offered, and will it go will with egg and chips?

skb

[tkingdoll]

The suspense is killing me. What wonderful life changing goodies do you think we are to be offered, and will it go will with egg and chips?

skb

This: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7747833.stm

[JonDonnis]

There have been many attempts over the years by unscrupulous people to try and have BadPsychics pulled.
Threats and legal threats to my ISPs etc.

I now host a mirror of the site, one in the UK and one in the USA.

I think the most important thing is to always be prepared to start from scratch however annoying that may be. Never give in

[Jack of Kent]

Always remember, legal threats can often be met by complete legal defences. The CAM and psychic legal-mongers forget this.

It is not a "one-way" thing. And I am always happy to help when legal threats are made.

[lost thought]

When legal action is called for the news papers will print any jucy article and bring it to the publics attention and makes it easier to show proofs and speculation of the worth of the item in question. Faith healing, dowsing and such like. you can always count on the journalist to dis the juiciest lamb for the slaughter. O0