Friday
May032013
by 
Bishop Hill
Bishop Hill Book burners
May 3, 2013 Anthony Watts' story about some academics in the US burning a sceptic book is rather wonderful. University folk can be quite extraordinarily foolish can't they?
Reader Comments (55)
BitBucket,
CORRECTION:
As soon as your 'team' has to celebrate book burning to counter criticism and unwelcome ideas, you've lost. Big Time.
Goebbel Warming?
(Headline on a recent Mark Steyn article)
It is truly sad when two people plus a photographer (3 people in total); not only think this is "a clever thing to do", but that it is worth making their thoughts known to the world; on the University's web site no less.
A stunning insight into their idea of rational thought.
Received today from Alison F.C. Bridger, Professor & Chair, Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, San Jose State University:
Re: burning books
To: Jack Maloney
Thank you for sharing your concerns. The Department of Meteorology and Climate Science has removed the material in question from its website, and regrets what was clearly an ill-conceived attempt at satire. Please be assured the university does not condone book burning for any reason.
Alison C. Bridger
On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Jack Maloney wrote:
It isn't funny, it isn't clever. Burning books is sick, and that kind of sickness spreads. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
May 8, 2013 at 2:49 AM | Jack Maloney
[re Bridger's]
Hmmm .... if it was so "clear" to the perpetrators (of whom Bridger was one - although you'd never know this from her response, would you?!) that this act was "ill-conceived" why on Gaia's green earth would she - or anyone - choose to actively participate in it?!
And why is she now choosing to distance herself from her actions - which continue to speak so much louder than her words.
Not sure if she's using Gleick's and/or 10:10's "model" of "regret". In my books, both are tantamount to, "It doesn't matter. Now p*ss off, and leave us alone!"
Surely an ethical and intellectually honest adult who truly regretted her/his choice of actions would not be singing, "
Miss OtisThe Department ... regrets ...".A mature, ethical and intellectually honest adult would have taken ownership of her choices and - at the very least - would have written something along the lines of:
"Yes, Mr. Maloney, you are absolutely correct. My colleague and I foolishly did not consider the broader implications or the consequences of our actions. We should not have done this and we have contacted the author to apologize - and have asked him what we can do to make amends for our unacceptable behaviour".
But as it is, well, her response is no better than that of the bucker-troll!