Friday, at 3:15 ET, on NPR's Science Friday…it's Mooney vs. Bethell. Bethell doesn't stand a chance.
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Man, the Amazon.com reviewers just keep doing my work for me. Consider the latest takedown of Tom Bethell's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science.
I've been listening to Bethell vs. Mooney on Science Friday, and I've come to one conclusion: I really need to slap Ira Flatow. Repeatedly. And maybe kick him a few times, too.
John Farrell has been helping to keep an eye out for outlandish claims made by Tom Bethell, author of the Politically Incorrect Guide to Science.
If an alien from Mars arrived on Earth, visited the United States, and wanted to understand the issues that exist at the intersection of politics and science in this country, he, she, or it would have a problem.
I just listened to this "debate". I put that in quotes because Bethell took a turn off the road and off a cliff from word 1.
Mr. Mooney was audibly flummoxed as to what the heck Bethell was on about, which seemed to culminate in a concern over government funding for science and putting senators' names on buildings. It was actually one of the funniest things I've heard on NPR that was not intended. Even Ira was wondering where the hell his show went.
The especially funny stuff came when Bethell tried to put distance between his actual views and what his book says. Listening to Bethell, you'd think someone had stolen his book's manuscript in the dead of night and published it without his consent...but he still agrees with its contents...or not...? It was quite funny.
Good stuff, and thanks to Mr. Mooney.