James Burke... He's the guy that did that "Connections" TV show, yes? It always took a bizarre and convoluted path to get from one event to another, but in the end, the undeniable connections between all the events were made. It was creepy and groovy at the same time. David Attenborough has nothing on the Burke-meister. :D
He is entertaining. There are a number of misstatements and exaggerations in the article that made me cringe, but the story he tells is quite a romp.
Burke is something of the "Rush Limbaugh" or -- who would be a good example on the other side? -- of science. A very knowledgeable sensationanlist always mindful that his job is to entertain, and secondarily to inform -- but a lot of information comes with the entertaining.
Reminds me of Sagan in his Barnum showman aspects, very entertaining and close enough for most folks accuracy wise. I like the fellow too, much more than Sagan in fact who was a bit of an, well, you know... ;-)
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Date: 2004-03-30 06:43 am (UTC)no subject
I got to attend one of his lectures when he came to Richmond once, most interesting!
-The Gneech
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Date: 2004-03-30 07:51 am (UTC)no subject
-The Gneech
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Date: 2004-03-30 07:56 am (UTC)Burke is something of the "Rush Limbaugh" or -- who would be a good example on the other side? -- of science. A very knowledgeable sensationanlist always mindful that his job is to entertain, and secondarily to inform -- but a lot of information comes with the entertaining.
I like him.
===|==============/ Level Head
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Date: 2004-03-30 08:38 am (UTC)CYa!
Mako