Bill Nye Dispels World Poverty Myths
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Posted by MilesCity.com Webmaster (+10014) 9 years ago
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Posted by atomicg (+1015) 9 years ago
It's only 2 minutes long folks. It's nice to see Nye embracing digital media with the fancy visual aids. It really makes the data palpable.
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Posted by Bridgier (+9508) 9 years ago
We have bigger priorities now though, like saving the F-35 from the Usurper's axe.
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Posted by Oddjob (+188) 9 years ago
Nye implies the usual Leftist solution to poverty, which is; throw more of other peoples money at it. It doesn't work. It doesn't work in Africa and it certainly didn't work in the US. Nye also ignores 3 important factors concerning the US and it's ability to contribute:

1) The US is broke.
2) The US is $100 Trillion in in debt.
3) Did I say the US is broke?

Over the past 60 years, upwards of a trillion dollars has been sent to Africa with little apparent effect, in spite of Bill Nye's blind reliance on dubious statistics provided by the United Nations on child mortality rates. The only major accomplishment of World governing organizations during that same time, was the global banning of DDT. DDT was responsible for eliminating malaria from most of the "civilized" world without any documentable environmental holocaust, in spite of what Rachel Carson predicted. The banning of its use in Africa today accounts for one in six (mostly infant) deaths on the Sub-Sarahan Continent. That translates into tens of millions of unnecessary deaths and hundreds of millions of humans suffering with the effects of the disease. Nye ignores that when he speaks to "progress".

The other thing that Bill Nye doesn't understand is why all the money that has gone to Africa has had little effect and why more money probably won't fix the problem.

I came across this article several years ago, written by a South African who spent 30 years more in Africa than Bill Nye did. I found it interesting because the observations are from someone who actually lived there and saw the problems first-hand. His observations are harsh, opinionated, and they are his own. But they do have, at least, the credibility of coming from his experience.

I post this here because any discussion about "myths" and "fixing" the problems of Africa should include an introduction to the monstrous human and infrastructure barriers to any solution to the poverty and disease that envelopes the Country.

It's a little more complicated than a few statistics from a guy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.

http://www.freerepublic.c...4795/posts
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Posted by Bridgier (+9508) 9 years ago
AND THEN HE FINISHES WITH A LINK TO THE FREE REPUBLIC.

Well played sir, WELL PLAYED.
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Posted by Richard Bonine, Jr. (+15490) 9 years ago
Oddjob sayth:
It's a little more complicated than a few statistics from a guy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.


And the guy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering should be discredited because you have a B.S. degree in ____________________
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Posted by JWA (+32) 9 years ago
Does it matter one bit whether Nye is right or wrong?
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Posted by NDJ (+138) 9 years ago
No JWA it does not.It matters only if you can say you have more formal schooling than someone else.It makes you way smarter.I know this from experience.Take Bill Gates for example.On the other end of the spectrum from Gates is my brother.More years schooling than probably most of microsoft and he cannot break string.There are some here that would also have quite a time with that piece of string.After watching a while you just shake your head and walk off because they will get mad if you offer to help them with their piece of string.
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Posted by MilesCity.com Webmaster (+10014) 9 years ago
Bill Gates never graduated from college. Look where that got him.

Bill Nye studied under Carl Sagan, and worked at Boeing helping to create some stuff - that's well - still in the planes people ride in today. Look where that got him.

Billy Bob didn't gradulate anything, hangs out around the Fox News web site posting pointless tinfoil hat dribble, and really wants to be best buds with Ron Paul. Look where that got him.
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Posted by JWA (+32) 9 years ago
Education has its benefits, but doesn't automatically corelate to intelligence. Education without experience means nothing. And, if a choice of only one - I'd choose experience.

Too many people in the media wanting attention and enjoying arguing. I have started to tune it all out. Would rather hear from real folks, such as some of the people who post here.

Miles City is a great town. Sometimes wish I still lived there. This site is a great resource, and good to see folks helping and encouraging one another!
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Posted by Oddjob (+188) 9 years ago
For starters, I don't have to justify myself to anyone on this forum, Richard. My credentials are on par with anybody else here. Period.

I wouldn't have a problem with Nye if he would stick to what he does best; that being cheap magic tricks and "Tee Vee Science for Dummys". When he gets out of that realm, he's no more credible than the rest of the phony "intellectuals" that hang out over at MSNBC.

Scientists make the worst Sociologists. Engineers are particularly bad at it because all they know is numbers. After a lifetime of working with and around engineers, I have come to the conclusion that most of them are fantastic two-dimensional thinkers.
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Posted by Bridgier (+9508) 9 years ago
Because oddjob knows the real answer is this: procreate the blahs.
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Posted by Richard Bonine, Jr. (+15490) 9 years ago
Oddjob sayth:
For starters, I don't have to justify myself to anyone on this forum, Richard. My credentials are on par with anybody else here. Period.


You are correct. You don't have to justify your credentials to anyone. But the "because I said so, so that is the way it is" line of "reasoning" isn't usually adequate in public discourse. It's pretty weak sauce. This is particularly true when you attempt to make yourself look like the only adult in the room by putting down someone based on their credentials, as in:

It's a little more complicated than a few statistics from a guy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.
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Posted by NDJ (+138) 9 years ago
Wasn`t Billy Bob hooked up with Angela Jolie or something?
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Posted by MilesCity.com Webmaster (+10014) 9 years ago
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Posted by UB40 (+218) 9 years ago
"I post this here because any discussion about "myths" and "fixing" the problems of Africa should include an introduction to the monstrous human and infrastructure barriers to any solution to the poverty and disease that envelopes the Country. "

So do we as humans quit trying? I don't know the solution to this tragic circumstance but I do know I get so frustrated w/people who complain about others attempting to solve these problems, lambast them, yet come up w/no solutions of their own. Classic politics.
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