White men still dominating science posts

[Dayle Record]

PCs are a great way to communicate. I never mentioned my "feelings" about life expectancy. I doubt that my happiness is at the core of your concerns.

Think about it though, antibiotics might just be another one of those bandaids run amok. What if when we learned about microorganisms, we just cleaned up, instead of trying to kill everyting is sight? What if we learned that overpopulation is a problem, and dealt with that, instead of facilitating a life for most humans that more resembles feed lot farming, than a rich, simple life, lived? In some ways the Greeks had it all, and the Gods were right to chain Prometeus to that rock, for bringing fire to man.

 

[ShawnD]

You wouldn't say that if you actually lived during those times. Did you know that a poor person of today lives a heck of a lot better than any king before 1900? Even most poor people have running water, at least some basic heating and an insulated house/apartment, electricity, a phone, and basic nutrition. An 18th century king isn't able to boast about having any of those except for maybe running water (pump inside the castle?).

 

[Nereid]

PCs are a great way to communicate. I never mentioned my "feelings" about life expectancy. I doubt that my happiness is at the core of your concerns.

Think about it though, antibiotics might just be another one of those bandaids run amok. What if when we learned about microorganisms, we just cleaned up, instead of trying to kill everyting is sight? What if we learned that overpopulation is a problem, and dealt with that, instead of facilitating a life for most humans that more resembles feed lot farming, than a rich, simple life, lived? In some ways the Greeks had it all, and the Gods were right to chain Prometeus to that rock, for bringing fire to man.

A significant percentage of people living in developing economies do not yet have PCs, the internet, running water, electricity, etc, esp those in rural areas. When given the choice, they seem - overwhelmingly - to want these material things. They also don't like getting sick (and their behaviour - in general - does seem to indicate that they know about basic hygiene) and dying at 40 (or, more accurately, having so many of their infants die before they reach their 5th birthday).

re overpopulation: getting from here today to there tomorrow will involve, for the developed economies, handling the 'pension time-bomb'. If your concern is about population in general, you are surely aware that the population in many developed economies is only growing because of immigration (the natural rate is below zero)?

 

[mee]

Then Affirmitve action needs to be applied. Just as AA has to be applied in factories and Government jobs to make sure minorities are given the chance for employment, the same should be applied to Universities and the Professors that they staff.

So the fair thing to do is to Lay off 25% of the White professors, and replace them with Black and Hispanic professors to ensure a diverse and equal oppurtunity environment, just as what is done in all other professions.

I have had an African black anthropology professor that was hired for god knows what reason and was the most inept professor I have ever seen. I barely showed up to class because it was a joke and got an "A" I believe because the professor liked me. I'm not sure hiring professors because they are in the minority groups is a good idea unless they are competent professors as well. BTW, another anthropology professor I had was a seventy year old woman who had been around a long time, knew Marget Mead, and got her position without any special treatment of which I know and was head of the department. I'm not sure affirmative action as more than a search for competent professors of any heritage is a good idea.