This is in response to Gary's post at:
http://www.habitablezone.com/space/messages/12181.html

Gary wrote:
In an earlier thread with Alex R. Blackwell, I voiced my concern about people like Barry D. and G. Levin setting themselves up with semi-fradulent credentials as academics. They have successfully setup a mock astrobiology institute (promoting their pseudo-science) with an obscure university in the United Kingdom. Alex dismissed my concern by saying that the genuine scientists know who the frauds are and that the real issue was informing the general public. However this stock reply really skirts past the fundamental issue of funding. If the general public is being dumbed down by the news media and con artists then who is going to provide funding for genuine science? It will be frittered away to frauds who are skilled at manipulating a corrupt infotainment industry. The frauds will always have an advantage because their deceits will provide more immediate entertainment.

Alex writes:
In my opinion, I didn't (or at least was not trying to) "dismiss" your concerns about about frauds in science. As for your concerns about funding, I agree to a large extent, but IMHO I believe the real scientists need to do a better job of selling their cases than the snake oil salesmen.

At any rate, I thought I was addressing your narrow accusation that Barry DiGregorio had no right to submit an abstract to SPIE as an Honorary Associate of the Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology

see http://www.astrobiology.cf.ac.uk/staff2.html

, which is a joint partnership venture between Cardiff University and the University of Wales College of Medicine. Clearly, regardless of one's opinion of DiGregorio or his qualifications, the association indicated on his SPIE abstract is not fraudulent as you asserted.

Alex R. Blackwell
University of Hawaii