“Volunteering for a dig does not make anyone a researcher. My 8 year old can do that.”- I never said it does. also, I didn’t say he was a volunteer, i pointed out that he was a research associate. Did you forget that? Or did you just ignore it because it was inconvenient to your argument? Looking for fossils and digging them up is not easy. You think it is, so let’s see your kid do it. Or better yet, let’s see you do it.

“Maybe when you sacrifice 10 years of study as opposed to 10 years of blog posting, you will understand.”- Define study. I think you and John make the not insignificant blunder that only academic with lofty credentials can do research. Brian has talked about how people can still make contributions without a degree. Brad Rhiney, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum, didn’t get a formal degree. Better yet, Jack Horner was never able to get his bachelor’s degree, yet he was still awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science. A degree helps, but it’s not always necessary. Research doesn’t just have to be hands on in the field or lab. Brian had made clear that he has read enormous amounts of the scientific literature. Writing the way he does takes research. One more thing: Brian has written articles for more than just blogs (like The Guardian, Wired Science, Smithsonian, and the Wall Street Journal) as well as 4 academic papers.

“I wouldn’t mind Brian if his posts were more as fan, rather then a researcher.”- How does he? Specifics please. And i read his stuff because he doesn’t just write as a fan. Instead of “oh man, this paper is awesome.” he actually goes into detail, discussing it’s relevance and importance to the big picture. And i like that he is able to provide the commentary he is able to because of his personal research. It makes him more than just another blogger.

“I love the ocean, but I don’t write a blog as if I’m an researcher on the subject, let alone promote myself as such on my own site as if I write the papers I write about. That is the problem with research clogging and it getting old.”- Again, how does he do so? It helps so much when you can actually provide examples (not just with Brian, but with “research clogging” in general). Or do you not have any and are just senselessly lashing out?

“I once had a journalist’s work on my work printed. She was applauded as if she write the paper. Please.”- Be sure to brush up on your English composition. It makes it much easier to understand what your babbling about. And whose fault would it be for your case? Did she outright say she wrote it? If anything it’s the fault of the reader’s for drawing that conclusion. Or are you just sour that a journalist did sloppy work in reporting your paper and are taking it out on Brian? Brian makes clear who writes the papers and what their ideas are. He does so because he is something that is becoming rare and rarer in this country: a competent journalist. On top of that, as i noted above (again, did you forget or ignored it?), he does it out of passion and interest in science. He looks at the big of the world, the scientific community, and the media. He takes effort to understand the topic at hand, making sure not to fall prey to sensationalism (or commit it) as so many others do.

… and there are far better blogs.

John M. Graduate Columbia NY