Comments for Thoughts on the Passing of a Hero at http://www.randi.org/site , comment 1 to 22 out of 20 comments http://www.randi.org/site Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:51:58 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10829 Or perhaps you'll get it. - Steel Rat Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:47:33 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10825 Did I mention the IPCC? Try a little harder, you'll get it eventually. - MJG Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:15:32 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10779 You mean like the IPCC being the authority you should listen to, regardless of conflicting facts. - Steel Rat Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:57:05 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10770 [quote]If you fail to see the point, then I suppose there's no point in discussing it. [/quote] I guess not, though I might humbly suggest you look up the Argument from Authority Fallacy for future reading. - MJG Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:36:41 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10714 If you fail to see the point, then I suppose there's no point in discussing it. - Steel Rat Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:58:24 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10713 [quote]James Hansen isn't a climatologist or a geologist either, he's an astrophysicist. Yet his opinion seems to matter more than, say, MIT's Richard Lindzen, who is a professor of Climatology. Borlaug would have been intimately familiar with the scientific method, and therefore his opinion matters.[/quote] Well, that makes no sense whatsoever. What do you mean by "matters more"? To whom and in what sense? And Hanson absolutely does possess acknowledged expertise in the field of atmospheric processes. As does Lindzen. As do thousands of other scientists studying the issue. Borluag did not. My doctor has knowledge of the scientific method but I wouldn't ask him to explain quantum physics to me. I fail to see what point you are trying to make, other than to grind an ax about a topic that is almost entirely unrelated to this article. - MJG Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:48:34 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10657 Quadrotriticale, not triticale. Would a little fact-checking kill you, Jeff? - Caller X Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:04:17 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10653 Please correct the spelling mistake (twice) of Norman's name... this line starting: Normal Borlaug accomplished amazing things, and this one: And that is what makes Normal Borlaug a hero. - Chunick Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:35:06 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10642 [quote] Dr. Borlaug was a brilliant and heroic geneticist. However, he was neither a climatologist nor a geologist. Great man, but not an expert on in that particular field.[/quote] James Hansen isn't a climatologist or a geologist either, he's an astrophysicist. Yet his opinion seems to matter more than, say, MIT's Richard Lindzen, who is a professor of Climatology. Borlaug would have been intimately familiar with the scientific method, and therefore his opinion matters. - Steel Rat Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:25:03 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10640 Well he wasn't physic ofcourse, he did the best he could at the time what happened afterwards wasn't his fault. In a imperfect world there are only imperfect solutions. RIP!!! - Turveyd Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:35:37 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10639 [quote]Dr. Borlaug was also skeptical of the claims of Anthropogenic Global Warming.[/quote] Dr. Borlaug was a brilliant and heroic geneticist. However, he was neither a climatologist nor a geologist. Great man, but not an expert on in that particular field. - MJG Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:20:53 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10636 Malthusian, are ya? Starve out all those excess brown people, we don't need 'em! - Griz Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:05:38 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10630 I don't understand this. In the third world population is limited by the food supply, so if you increase food production then the result is an increase in population, not the elimination of hunger. As evidence, there are still a billion starving people in the world. We also have a population of 6.5 billion instead of 5.5 billion, with the resulting environmental impact. So how is the world a better place? - pikaia Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:34:47 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10625 Dr. Borlaug was also skeptical of the claims of Anthropogenic Global Warming. - Steel Rat Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:08:07 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10624 Skeptilove: http://skeptilove.com/ Share the love! - Josh111485 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:55:56 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10623 Norman Borlaug fed 1,000,000,000 people. That's an amazing accomplishment, to say the least. While we may not be able to achieve that accomplishment we can still feed people in need. Donate food to a local food drive or charity that accepts food donations. Go to [url]http://skeptilove.com/Skeptilove[/url] and get inspired to do Norman Borlaug type work. It may not be on the mass level that he did it, but it will make a world of difference to people, children, and families in need. - Josh111485 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:54:27 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10622 My previous email should have read: "Do you have huge monuments" etc., not momuments. Apologies for the typo. - Joslin Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:32:04 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10620 In response to StarTrekLivz. You have big monuments in the USA to former presidents. Do you have huge momuments to scientists? - Joslin Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:58:27 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10617 Dr. Borlaug was featured in the first season of the Penn & Teller Show "Bullsh*t," where they described (I believe rightly) as one of the greatest heroes in history for his groundbreaking work to feed people. When I was in London, England, a couple years ago, I noted the huge memorials to various generals, admirals, and monarchs. But in a garden in Hyde Park was a little statue to Edward Jenner, a pioneer in the Smallpox Vaccine (and we easily forget how SmallPox can be a deadly epidemic, and can leave scarring, infertility, and induce birth defects). I couldn't help but think that things were backwards: Jenner deserved the huge memorial. - StarTrekLivz Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:35:44 +0100 http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/707-thoughts-on-the-passing-of-a-hero.html#comment-10614 Unfortunately there are ignoramuses who claim that Norm Borlaug deliberately pushed a great evil onto the world, and like the creationists they refuse to educate themselves. One I've encountered likes to trot out a website (foodfirst.org) - I've pointed out that the website was full of diatribe and other bullshit and of course that earned me some foul language and epithets; suggestions to check out reputable sites like www.usda.gov or any number of reputable agricultural, forestry, and soil science journals is met with a scorn which I have only seen exhibited by creationists. I guess since I've been educated with USDA propaganda since I was about 8 and spent over 1/3 of my professional career with soil scientists and agronomists I must be part of the same Global Conspiracy which Norm was part of. Perhaps I should write out a list of conspiracies which I am involved in - the problem is that these conspiracies are so good that I'm not even aware that I'm involved. - MadScientist Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:04:48 +0100