Re: Big money in the electrostatics biz (OT)

[Michael Bowen <fizzbowen@MINDSPRING.COM>]

At 05:45 2002/07/31, Bill Thorp wrote:

> For example I can reduce the price of the alloy housing by around AUD$0.60
> if I invest AUD$40,000 into die casting tooling.  "Not Practical"

and then shortly thereafter provided my morning's entertainment by writing:

> ... my intention is to engage legal council to deal with the issues of
> defamation, slander and the resulting stress.  I will also be perusing the
> removal of all defamatory material that is exposed to the Internet.

Although not strictly related to the teaching of physics, the preceding
statements exemplify two contradictory chains of logic that our students
might benefit from, as an example of how NOT to present a logical argument.

Mr. Thorp, if a $40,000 investment in die casting tooling is "Not
Practical", I can't imagine that an investment in legal "counsel" (as it is
properly spelled, at least in the States) would be any more so. Of course,
the expense of engaging a solicitor also does not take into consideration
the value of the time and intellectual energy that you remove from the
direct operation of your business to pursue (not "peruse") your critics.
Have you considered the indirect costs of indulging your apparently
delicate ego?

When major corporations intimidate their online detractors by threatening
legal action, it usually succeeds only in giving them bad press. As a small
concern, you are more fortunate; your antics probably won't make it into
the press. (Of course, I can't guarantee this.) A famous U.S. president
once immortalized the expression, "If you can't take the heat, stay out of
the kitchen." That dictum seems apropos here. Learn a lesson or two from
the mistakes of the big guys.

Finally, if you can't make a legitimate profit selling a particular
product, you have a choice: you can gripe or you can go into another line
of business. With the expertise you are acquiring in the manufacture of
electronic gizmos, you might consider venturing into the legitimate physics
laboratory equipment market. With a sufficiently good product or two and a
friendlier PR campaign, Mr. Beatty, whose opinion is respected by many
members of this list, might even be convinced to extol your virtues. Isn't
free enterprise (and freedom of speech) wonderful?

--MB