First, Disinformation.Com's Alex Burns ‹ a former member of the Temple of Set allied with Michael Aquino ‹ demanded, with more than a little indignation, that I support my "ad hominem" attacks on the High Setian with "evidence." Unfortunately for Burns, I haven't made ad hominem attacks against the ToS high priest, but HAVE posted evidence of his many subterfuges over the past few years almost exclusively, without comment, in the Usenet newsgroups. Burns also claimed that I am an incompetent "conspiracy theorist," supposedly not up to his standards of investigative journalism ‹ but then I discovered that he has not only relied on me for sourcing, but actually plagiarized my copyright research. Why is Burns stealing my work and signing his name to it? He must think very highly of me after all to "borrow" my writing and claim it as his own. Any LEGITIMATE organization would send him packing. Not long ago, the Boston Globe discovered a columnist on the payroll was a plagiarist and the guilty pundit was immediately fired. This is grounds for dismissal anywhere, even in college classrooms ... but Burns continues to churn out his pretentious, incompetently researched, wrong-headed, plagiaristic tripe without comment from Disinformation.Com. The following letter is his attempt at an apology to me, my publisher and the world ‹ Alex Constantine ---------- From: "Alex Burns" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 30 May 2001 23:09:52 -0000 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Alex Burns Plagiarized Alex Constantine Dear Dan, I have apologized to Adam Parfrey and Feral House. My public apology/explanation re: "Woodpecker Effect" is here: Disinformation Corrections http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id1254/pg1/ The Woodpecker Effect http://www.disinfo.com/pages/dossier/id332/pg1/ There was no "conscious" or "deliberate" campaign here. Adam Parfrey asked me some time ago to disclose my past TS membership in the Anton LaVey dossier. I have done this; the first time in Disinformation's history that any staffer has had to disclose private organizational affiliations. I am not being paid by anyone to "smear" you; I have simply asked you to publicly back up your Presidio campaign, which has detrimentally affected my life over the past two years. I will not enter into any further correspondence with you about this or any other matter. Any further e-mails from you will be ignored, but archived. Please forward any future queries about plagiarism to publisher Gary Baddeley ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and I will respond on a case-by-case basis. I do not want to involve The Disinformation Company Ltd in any legal dispute you plan to initiate against me. Please also appreciate that Richard Metzger and Gary Baddeley are extremely busy people with many time demands. I have also undertaken legal advice this morning about your e-mails, and the false allegations you have made against me. Should you proceed with your threat, I will take any necessary legal counter-action. Sincerely, Alex Burns > There is NO misunderstanding. You did it consciously and deliberately. >I told you, I can prove it. You lost this round. I'm suing you AND >disinformation.Com. ‹ Alex Constantine
