Mess With Crichton, You Get The CLAWS! [Archive]

HBox

12-14-2006, 12:38 PM

A little back story. As of his last book Michael Crichton had become a global warming skeptic. His last book was full of arguments against global warming. In response a New Republic writer named Michael Crowley wrote an aritcle critical of Crichton's articles. Nothing comes of it.Enter Michael Crichton's latest book entitled Next. Here's a passage:Alex Burnet was in the middle of the most difficult trial of her career, a rape case involving the sexual assault of a two-year-old boy in Malibu. The defendant, thirty-year-old Mick Crowley, was a Washington-based political columnist who was visiting his sister-in-law when he experienced an overwhelming urge to have anal sex with her young son, still in diapers. Crowley was a wealthy, spoiled Yale graduate and heir to a pharmaceutical fortune. ... It turned out Crowley's taste in love objects was well known in Washington, but [his lawyer]--as was his custom--tried the case vigorously in the press months before the trial, repeatedly characterizing Alex and the child's mother as "fantasizing feminist fundamentalists" who had made up the whole thing from "their sick, twisted imaginations." This, despite a well-documented hospital examination of the child. (Crowley's penis was small, but he had still caused significant tears to the toddler's rectum.)Hilarious and classy!<a href="http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002156.php" target="_blank">Read a little more about it here.</a>

phixion

12-14-2006, 12:43 PM

anyone who couldve explained gravity as a bowl to teh 10 year old version of me will always be forgiven.

Furtherman

12-14-2006, 12:49 PM

Chrichton's book which questions global warming is called State Of Fear.It's an excellent book.And every fact that is questioned is footnoted with facts to back him up.It shows how the whole global warming emergency that the media had latched on to is blown way out of proportion.  Basically, it comes down to this: there IS global warming, but mankind has a miniscule amount to do with it.  YES, our polluting does not help.  But even if we were magically stop it all tomorrow, the effects would not be noticeable.For example... yes, the arctic ice cap is melting.  But it HAS been melting for the last 3,000 years.Yes, glaciers are melting.  But only about 1% of them have actually been measured and studies.  Only the most accessible ones have been.The fact is the earth goes through changes.  Temperatures rise, temperatures drop.  We even had a "little" ice age only moments ago in human history.  We'll have another one.  Too many "popular" scientists have grant money riding on what they say and publish.

This message was edited by Furtherman on 12-14-06 @ 4:49 PM

furie

12-14-2006, 12:49 PM

he should be flattered. how many real people make it into a crichton book?

HBox

12-14-2006, 12:56 PM

For example... yes, the arctic ice cap is melting.  But it HAS been melting for the last 3,000 years.I think the speed of which they are melting is the issue.I didn't read that book, I stopped reading him after I couldn't get through Timeline but I did read  some of his arguments, one of which if i remember correctly was cherry picking certain places where the climate has been falling. Which is a pretty stupid argument sicne Global Warming doesn't mean that every single part of the globe is getting hotter just that the global climate is rising. (I might have remembered that wrong though it's been a while since I read anything about that book.)

furie

12-14-2006, 12:59 PM

didn't like Timeline?
I liked the book. the movie was from hunger.

phixion

12-14-2006, 01:03 PM

oh if ur tlaking actual writing abilities then crichton sucks ass. hes a fantastic storyteller, excellent in writing science stuff for the layman but as a writer hes nothin to write home about. i challenge anyone to sayhonestly that they read a senence of his over and over not because they are trying to understand it but because it is beautifully written.

EliSnow

12-14-2006, 01:08 PM

phixion wrote: oh if ur tlaking actual writing abilities then crichton sucks ass. hes a fantastic storyteller, excellent in writing science stuff for the layman but as a writer hes nothin to write home about. i challenge anyone to sayhonestly that they read a senence of his over and over not because they are trying to understand it but because it is beautifully written. My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  First, I feel like I'm being talked down to when reading it. Second, the way he preaches also is irritating.  As an example, in Rising Sun, he warned about how the Japanese were taking over American society.  Every character in the book had an anecdote about how the Japanese were doing this, and would just tell their story, including if I remember right, a car valet.  I got it - the Japanese are bad.  No need hammer it home so much.

HBox

12-14-2006, 01:10 PM

furie wrote: didn't like Timeline? I liked the book. the movie was from hunger.Nah. I don't know why but I just completely lost interest at the point I should have been hooked (when they go back in time). Up until that point I loved his books. Airframe and Disclosure were my favorites.

Mike Teacher

12-14-2006, 01:16 PM

State of Fear was a pretty bad read in my opinion, sub-par from what he can do.Loved Timeline the book, the movie is an unspeakable crime.The Chrichton formula seems to be:-Some new technology becomes available by some scientist/group...-Said group has great plans for it, but corporate interests cause the technology to screw up spectacularly, trapping people somewhere, and/or threatening humanity...-People debate merits of said technology as things get worse...-Some unforseen achille's heel in the technology makes things OK in the end, and/or people solve whatever problem it was.But not bad for a doctor who started writing coz he was bored.

Yerdaddy

12-14-2006, 01:34 PM

I read Chriton's anti-global warming articles and they use all the same logical fallacies as the creation scientists - straw men, cherry picking, and ad hominem attaks. He's full of shit and now he's a big baby who can't take criticism. Fuck him.

Furtherman

12-14-2006, 01:47 PM

Well, I think I haven't read enough Crichton to have such opinions as others here.Nor did I know he's written anti-global warming articles. What I did do is follow up on the Scientific Journals he footnoted.  Not all, but enough are easy to check out.  And I agree that global warming isn't all it's cracked up to be.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 02:19 PM

phixion wrote: oh if ur tlaking actual writing abilities then crichton sucks ass. hes a fantastic storyteller, excellent in writing science stuff for the layman but as a writer hes nothin to write home about. i challenge anyone to sayhonestly that they read a senence of his over and over not because they are trying to understand it but because it is beautifully written. You puke out that absolute piece of shit sentence then have nerve to criticize someone elses writing?I'll ignore the obvious flaws such as not being able to hit the shift key.But, "as a writer he's nothing to write home about" is a glaring redundancy that could only be committed by someone who knows nothing of style.Please tell me it was a gag and I'm "doesn't get the bit guy".

This message was edited by FezPaul on 12-14-06 @ 6:20 PM

torker

12-14-2006, 02:23 PM

EliSnow wrote: My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  But, there his books.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 02:27 PM

torker wrote: EliSnow wrote: My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  But, there his books.Oh yeah?!? Well people with ideas of their own shouldn't write books!!! <img src="/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/nono.gif" border="0" width="23" height="25" />

phixion

12-14-2006, 02:32 PM

dude im writing on a message board, i barely fuckin proof read, this is the only place ihave where i am able to write without any kind of pressure of scrutiny. my writing has been praised by every proffessor i have ever handed in work to. my poli sci prof wanted me to give a give a 15 minute presentation on fdr first term as president, at some scholastic seminar, because my writing was so good. if you want to check out my real writing in my papers give me ur email, ill show you scholastic writing. and if u think i was judging him against me then your wrong, i was judging him against benioff, card, moore, streatfield real writers. crichton spits out the same drivel as grisham cook and cussler. they are entertaining, but they arent good writers.

torker

12-14-2006, 02:42 PM

FezPaul wrote: torker wrote: EliSnow wrote: My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  But, there his books.Oh yeah?!? Well people with ideas of their own shouldn't write books!!! <img src="/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/nono.gif" border="0" width="23" height="25" />Opinions are like assholes, FezPaul's got one.  And, it stinks.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 02:43 PM

if you want to check out my real writing in my papers give me ur email, ill show you scholastic writing. No thanks, I'll take your word for it.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 02:44 PM

torker wrote: FezPaul wrote: torker wrote: EliSnow wrote: My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  But, there his books.Oh yeah?!? Well people with ideas of their own shouldn't write books!!! <img src="/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/nono.gif" border="0" width="23" height="25" />Opinions are like assholes, FezPaul's got one.  And, it stinks.I'll have you know my asshole is lemony fresh.

torker

12-14-2006, 02:46 PM

phixion

12-14-2006, 02:49 PM

and thanks for not killing me on the 'there' torkers my new favorite board member

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 02:50 PM

torker wrote: torker wrote: FezPaul wrote: torker wrote: EliSnow wrote: My biggest problem with Crichton is how the way he inserts his view/ideas into the book.  But, there his books.Oh yeah?!? Well people with ideas of their own shouldn't write books!!! <img src="/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/nono.gif" border="0" width="23" height="25" />Opinions are like assholes, FezPaul's got one.  And, it stinks.and thanks for not killing me on the 'there'I'm trying to retire the Grammar Nazi gag.

Yerdaddy

12-14-2006, 02:50 PM

What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again?

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 03:02 PM

Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.

HBox

12-14-2006, 03:14 PM

FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 03:16 PM

HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.What kind of Time Line are you giving me?

HBox

12-14-2006, 03:19 PM

FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.What kind of Time Line are you giving me?Long enough that this State of Fear you are in is not warranted.

Recyclerz

12-14-2006, 03:31 PM

Yerdaddy wrote: I read Chriton's anti-global warming articles and they use all the same logical fallacies as the creation scientists - straw men, cherry picking, and ad hominem attaks. He's full of shit and now he's a big baby who can't take criticism. Fuck him. As usual, Yerdaddy has stumbled into the truth.  In State of Fear, Crichton parodies some of the stupider voices in the "environmental movement" (think Barbra Streisand as a typical target) which, by me, is fine, but then spends the rest of the book doing the straw man comparisons and cherry-picking of facts to make his case which is as bad as the ill-informed statements of belief as fact that he's mocking.  His case looks better on the surface though because, as Furtherman points out, Crichton did footnote the book like a motherfucker.It's strange,  because Crichton is capable of much better reasoned arguments on this topic.  A copy of a speech he made - compellingly comparing the popular environmental movement to a pseudo-religion that views our species as a cancer to an otherwise bucolic planet (Mother Earth would be better off without us) - made the rounds in my office and I thought it was dead-on.  Why he dumbs down and generally brings some weak cheese in a book that has a much wider audience makes no sense to me. I subscribe to the New Republic Online so if anybody wants a copy of these articles let me know.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 03:54 PM

HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.What kind of Time Line are you giving me?Long enough that this State of Fear you are in is not warranted. This thread is turning into the biggest rip off since the Great Train Robbery.

FezPaul

12-14-2006, 03:56 PM

Why he dumbs down and generally brings some weak cheese in a book that has a much wider audience makes no sense to me.Hello, exactly!

suggums

12-14-2006, 04:02 PM

i stopped reading crichton with airframe back when i was in middle school.  am i really missing anything?

Mike Teacher

12-14-2006, 04:18 PM

FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.What kind of Time Line are you giving me?Long enough that this State of Fear you are in is not warranted. This thread is turning into the biggest rip off since the Great Train Robbery.take me to the ER, this has me in a Coma.

HBox

12-14-2006, 04:24 PM

Mike Teacher wrote: FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: HBox wrote: FezPaul wrote: Yerdaddy wrote: What's with all the hostility? Did someone let that andromeda strain out again? It's within the Sphere of possibility.In the interest of full Disclosure, I did release a nasty strain. Let's see if any of you can guess which before the next Rising Sun.What kind of Time Line are you giving me?Long enough that this State of Fear you are in is not warranted. This thread is turning into the biggest rip off since the Great Train Robbery.take me to the ER, this has me in a Coma.This thread causes nausea in four out of Five Patients.

torker

12-14-2006, 04:29 PM

This is going nowhere fast. And quite annoying.  Sorry!Hottub, you douche, you locked the wrong thread.

Bulldogcakes

12-14-2006, 05:30 PM

HBox wrote:  For example... yes, the arctic ice cap is melting. But it HAS been melting for the last 3,000 years. I think the speed of which they are melting is the issue.As compared to what? The ice core samples give you broad readings over long periods of time. Were comparing a 50 year trend against samples in the thousands of years. If you can find data that breaks temperature readings into 50 year samples that go back at least 500,000 years then we can have something to look at. But even those samples would need to be from many far flung regions to be able to make intelligent estimates of global mean temps, for the same reason you cant tell what the weather is like in Brazil by looking at New York. And given that the earth is 4 billion years old, even that's a really, really small sample to be drawing huge conclusions from. Much better data would be in the millions of years.  

This message was edited by Bulldogcakes on 12-14-06 @ 10:10 PM

DarkHippie

12-14-2006, 06:29 PM

FezPaul wrote: phixion wrote: oh if ur tlaking actual writing abilities then crichton sucks ass. hes a fantastic storyteller, excellent in writing science stuff for the layman but as a writer hes nothin to write home about. i challenge anyone to sayhonestly that they read a senence of his over and over not because they are trying to understand it but because it is beautifully written. You puke out that absolute piece of shit sentence then have nerve to criticize someone elses writing?I'll ignore the obvious flaws such as not being able to hit the shift key.But, "as a writer he's nothing to write home about" is a glaring redundancy that could only be committed by someone who knows nothing of style.Please tell me it was a gag and I'm "doesn't get the bit guy".This message was edited by FezPaul on 12-14-06 @ 6:20 PM Crichton is what we in the industry call a 'hack,' meaning someone who is sucessful.   I respect that he can make millions of dollars doing this where I'm still getting magic beans, but I do not think he is a very impressive stylist.  His stories are very formulaic, as someone above already mentioned.  His conflicts are very heavy handed-- man vs new culture or man vs technology-- with very little nuance there.  Though I suppose that if the reading public wanted nuance, joyce carol oates would be a billionare.I'm not bitter or anything.