FaganTalk: Recent Comments

Comment on We navigate tricky waters

Mike Gamble — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:09:20 GMT

Brian, I too have a personal agenda. It is to stay alive long enough to observe where folks who have homes on beaches overlooking the ocean are going to move when the water rises and how where folks who live in the western part of our country are going to get water when the draught comes in earnest. There's a man standing at a dam with his finger in a crack but the dam isn't going to leak this time. There is no water. There's a man standing in a dusty field surrounded by dust devils as far as the eye can see exclaiming, "a drought is coming. Let's get prepared." No one is listening. No one wants to hear it.

Today IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY! In the not-too-distant future, it will be all about survival but only those who have money will survive. This is not a gloom and dome prediction, it's an unfortunate unavoidable fact.

Water for sale. Only $9.50 a gallon at your friendly Exxon Mobil station.

Maybe the scenario put forth in that old 1960's movie, Soilet Green, wasn't such a bad idea. Did Charlton Heston end up eating Edward G. Robinson? I can't remember. Question: If a billion or more human beings were to die, should they be buried or eaten? (My apologies for that thought. I'm only thinking out loud.)

Comment on At last something concrete

ArchAsa — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:45:25 GMT

"Unfortunately the scatter of coprolites were not associated with any artifacts or food remains"

I'd be more concerned if they were... ;-)

Seriously, a great find and hopefully you will soon find settlement materials as well. I have no doubt that human settlement of the Americas took place before Clovis.

Comment on Visiting Vancouver

ArchAsa — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:15:44 GMT

We have a saying in Sweden about plain speech: "That's words and no pretty songs". (translates poorly).

The sad thing is i agree with you - after having attended not nearly as many conferences as you i would still say that I am fed up with the format, except for networking (works rather poorly), excercise in presenting verbally (okey), and a chance for good excursions (varies).

As you experienced yourself, it's the round table discussions with a select group and a good moderator that suddelny elevates the debate to a whole new unpredicted level. I generally prefer workshops over conferences for this very reason. It's unscripted discussion which is rewarding, not listening to one more person drone on about a black-and-white drawing of a excavation site from whats-its-place, or overwritten slides with quotes from the philosopher-du-jour to show the audience your in the loop.

I and many young colleagues try to persuade our professors to have more training and constructive criticism in presenting materials and interpretations. Since most of them have had neither they tend to ignore these wishes, which is especially troubling for us that have english as a second language (or third) only. I have seen good research undone by poor presentation and poor research elevated through fancy presentation and it irritates me.

More workshops and round table discussions, less paper conferences would be my fervent hope for the future. Articles are best in print anyway.

Comment on The Great Warming

Emily W — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:12:39 GMT

I have to say, I like the way in which you write. I am so sick of the scare tactics employed by so many environmentalists that it is very refreshing to simply have the truth, the facts and history behind this issue. Also, your writing style is not in the least bit boring as I find most writings of this topic to be. You keep me informed, and at the same time interested. Thanks you for your amazing work, keep it coming!!

Comment on The Daily Show

Sean Blough — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:39:29 GMT

Loved the interview as well! I appreciate the behind the scenes look at the daily show; I've long been a fan of Jon Stewart and his uncanny ability to interview. It really was like watching a friendly conversation, with the "prophet of doom."

Comment on The Daily Show

shawn marceaux — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:34:03 GMT

loved the interview! i am an anthro/archaeo grad student at university of texas and was thrilled to see a fellow archaeologist on my favorite program. it was a great showing.. and you'll be proud to know the clip will be shown in my intro class as a short break during lecture. congrats and cheers shawn

Comment on Elephants in the Climatic Room

Eric — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:04:07 GMT

Dear Brian,

Congratulations on your Daily Show debut! Thought you pulled it off with equal parts humor and "on-message"ness.

best,
Eric

Comment on Elephants in the Climatic Room

ArchAsa — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:11:50 GMT

You did great!

I would have been a wet spot on the floor, but you seemed quite at ease and stayed on the subject. What I like about Stewart is that he can often handle the knack of being funny, while sending a clear message that he thinks the topic i s serious and important - not just a gimmick.

Comment on Elephants in the Climatic Room

Greg — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:01:34 GMT

I watched with interest your appearance on the Daily Show today. I am in the process of compiling a roughly imagined 'future history' for the next 50 years or so, treating climate and environmental change as a driver for resource conflict and geopolitics.
Would you be able to link up, or at least point me towards, the drought computer projections you mention? I would very much appreciate it.
Thanks.

Comment on Elephants in the Climatic Room

Madhusudan Katti — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:37:53 GMT

I agree with you about the elephant of drought in the room - and am also surprised that it isn't perceived to be important enough to be worthy of more attention in the popular discourse. One of my favorite moments of your interview on the Daily Show, therefore, was when you said, "This is a very serious issue, in fact" and Jon shot back with "That's why you're on this show"!

I enjoyed your appearance on the show, and have to say that you displayed none of the "sheer terror"! (I wonder if things would have been different had it been the Colbert Report instead! :-)) I hope your book does get more attention from the more "serious" shows as well!

I'm looking forward to getting your book now, as it promises some good material for my reconciliation ecology and human ecology classes for the next time I teach them.