Norman Borlaug - Badass of the Month - September 2009

**Phrost** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:09pm

When scientists responsible for our continued survival as a species get as much recognition and public acclaim as a drugged- out, bleached kiddy diddler, then maybe your contrariety will have some merit, HoG.

Until then, yeah, we're putting him up on a pedestal. One with which, if you continue to assail the legacy of this man, I will personally lift from the ground and bludgeon you.

**HappyOldGuy** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:12pm

I don't wanna take away from the guy, cause he is truly great, and truly deserving of every accolade gets.

But Phrost, you put him up here because you ride Penn&Teller's nuts. And P&T invented this whole "great genius not appreciated because the evil environmentalists are keeping him down" schtick as part of their unbelievably shitty episode on genetic engineering (which he didn't even do).

So I'll leave it there. Bludgeon away.

Edit: Actually Phrost, if you want to trollshido my stuff, that's fine. I just really wish you hadn't put the P&T vid there.

**Wolf** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:13pm

The problem is the lives and accomplishments of scientists that do a lot for the world are celebrated almost exclusively in scientific circles with little herald outside, where as if you sell a bunch of cheap crap on TV you're going to get world recognition when you kick the bucket even though you really didn't do anything to aid mankind. Yes he was celebrated as much as any scientist, but scientists that accomplish amazing things are generally not celebrated enough by the rest of the world.

**Phrost** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:17pm

I'll be the first to admit that I wouldn't have heard of him if it hadn't been for P&T. However, that's not remotely germane to offsetting the injustice of having this man's name fade into obscurity.

To my knowledge he isn't even mentioned in any primary school text books.

**Gabetuno** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:18pm

Of course scientists aren't celebrated. Haven't you guys read the theories of Intelligent Design? SCIENCE IS NOW DEBATABLE AS A WHOLE!

<Kills self, and hangs out with MJ and Dr. Borlaug>

**illegalusername** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:25pm

On the topic of dead scientists, the UK government finally made an official apology for driving Alan Turing to suicide

**Tonuzaba** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 3:31pm

Nice writeup on a great and talented person I also only heard of from the news after his death.

Now, how about the ratio of evil people within the 1 billion he saved? *evil provocative smile*

**Conde Koma** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 5:06pm

I can't say that everything he's touched is gold, the arguments about becoming dependent on monoculture and the whole industrial agricultural system have merit. Still, can't fault a guy for feeding the world. Pretty badass.

**chubbychaser** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 5:23pm

wtf is this ****? badass of the month? i could have beat that guy with my left arm. bullshido is on a downward spiral. **** you phrost.

no, but seriously

suck a bag of dicks asshole

**moli** · Posted On: 9/16/2009 7:16pm

Good choice. He is under-appreciated and mostly unknown in the U.S. There have been more stories about Patrick Swayze, an actor, than about Dr. Borlaug, who saved hundreds of millions of people.

Check out the article in the Wall Street Journal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...676924044.html