Talk:Conservapedia challenge

A challenge! Very well, Sir, I accept!

I am not a rich man and would be unable to handle all the data accumulated over twenty years. Neither do I think it acceptable to enjoin a publically funded organization to spend the large sums required to send such a large amount of data without a defined public benefit.

Let us, then, agree a hypothesis that can be tested by ' 'some' ', of Prof. Lenski's unpublished data. I will then procure from said Professor either: 1) That very data, which I will then deliver to you, or 2) An admission from the Professor that he does not have that data

If I succeed you will: 1) procure me one pint of Fuller's "London Pride" at the Nicholson's pub in the Strand, London, and display a picture of me drinking it on the front page of Conservapedia. 2) Publish a statement on the front page of Conservapedia stating that you accept Professor Lenski's honesty and professionalism.

I await: 1) Your hypothesis 2) The data that would test it 3) Your "prize" should I fail

Regards Tony Lloyd (User:TonyLloyd

Your "offer" is fascinating but also self-contradictory. On the one hand you imply that there are voluminous data ("spend the large sums required to send such a large amount of data"), but on the other hand you suggest that Lenski may not have any such data! You also seem to misunderstand or ignore the purpose and benefits of public scrutiny, as the data are not merely for me ("your hypothesis" and "data that would test it") but for all the public who paid for the data.--Aschlafly 13:18, 3 July 2008 (EDT)

As I have asked elsewhere Mr Schlafly I really do think you need to clarify nature of the data requested and who would examine it, and explain if you accept the data are represented by the organisms (and if you think the data are not represented by the organisms explain why not.)--British_cons (talk) 13:28, 3 July 2008 (EDT)

At least one blogger has already claimed to have won the challenge: No Latitude. He cites and links to the following data: http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2008,%20PNAS,%20Blount%20et%20al.pdf http://www.pnas.org/content/103/24/9107.full.pdf+html http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2004,%20Plant%20Breeding%20Reviews,%20Lenski.pdf http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2003,%20JME,%20Lenski%20et%20al.pdf http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2003,%20PNAS,%20Cooper%20et%20al.pdf

Of these, the last is particularly data-rich.

The missing data are very specific. The above citation list is a common tactic of distraction: try to obscure by burying the reader with volumes of meaningless or less meaningful info. Most of the dates on those cites are years ago, predating when key data could have even occurred.--Aschlafly 14:05, 3 July 2008 (EDT)

Most of the dates on those cites are years ago But not ALL of them, right? What about those citations which do not predate what you are looking for? Also, the Lenski dialogue no exists on several talk pages besides this one, some of them archived. I'm a busy person and do not have time to go hunting around through dozens if not hundreds of posts. Would it be too much of an imposition to ask you to state here, in a concise manner what data exactly that would satisfy your request? - I say this in part because many of your interlocutors are trying to make YOU look unreasonable by making it appear as though you want Lenski to ship you on old mustard jar full of e coli (yes, I'm exaggerating)...I think it would do this discussion some good to refocus it on a short list of exactly what it is you're looking for...AliceBG 14:19, 3 July 2008 (EDT)

The oldest paper there is from generation 20,000.JPohl 14:20, 3 July 2008 (EDT)