California lawmakers pass bill to teach gay history

[The Brain]

The jelly donut fiasco has to count against him as well.

[grumbler]

Are you, or are you not, claiming of Banting's life and work that there is "not much inspirational there"?

Because if so I disagree. I find his life is full of inspiration.

His life is about as full of inspiration as it is possible to be for a Canadian.  Which is to say, not much.

To particularize:

- was wounded under fire in battle in WW1; in spite of his wound, he went on treating others for 16 hours, for which he was awarded the Military Cross for heroism.

many, many people continued in action in every war despite being wounded.  Some slight inspiration there.

- In the 1920s, discovered Insulin's effect of diabetes, for which he was awarded the Nobel prize.

Great brain work, but nothing inspirational.

- Shares the money and credit with his assistant Best (though he did not have to).

Not extraordinary at all.  Many scientists credit fellow scientists and assistants.  Admirable, but not inspirational.

- In the 30s, becomes interested in aviation medicine. Works secrety in the run-up to WW2. Dies in 1941 while en route to testing a new aviation suit.

He died in the crash of a plane he wasn't even piloting.  Nothing inspirational there.

Seems to be a life filled with heroism, significant scientific discovery that has helped millions of people survive what was otherwise a fatal condition, and admirably free of selfishness (his treatment of Best was truly noble).

To me, that's inspiring. Maybe not to you. Which I think says something rather more about you.

It doesn't seem to me to be a life full of "heroism" at all.  He certainly seems to have been a fine man, but he didn't take risks and he didn't do anything that hundreds or thousands of scientists haven't done before on other research projects.

I'd say your finding hims to be "heroic" says something more about you than my not finding him heroic says about me.  You have already conceded that you have family ties to the man.  I, OTOH, have no horse in this race.

Edit: it will be interesting to see if you can find an American who matches his achievements - that is who (1) is awarded for heroism under fire; (2) makes a discovery that saves millions of lives and wins a Nobel prize for it; (3) is generous in sharing the credit for this; and (4) dies in the line of duty.

It will be more interesting to have you explain why those four, and only those four, items combine to make a "hero" in your eyes.  I am not going to try to catch your red herring.  It has no significance for me whatever.

[The Brain]

lol

[grumbler]

JFK. Did he make a discovery that saved millions of lives? Maybe not, but he was pivotal in the cuban missile crisis, the civil rights movement, and the discovery of the moon (you may say the moon landings didn't really discover the moon, but with the Brain's demands for evidence in science and history, you could say that until we set foot on the moon, the moon was just one theory competing with the concept that it was a giant block of cheese).

MLK would be a better choice, if you want to try to land his red herring.

[Razgovory]

Who do you consider heroic, Grumbler?

[Jacob]

Who do you consider heroic, Grumbler?

Yeah, I was just going to ask the same question....

[alfred russel]

Plus he humped Marilyn Monroe. That's got to count for something. 

But seriously - apples to oranges comparison.

I'd say his actual achievements as President tend to be over-rated because of his assassination. In addition to the Cuban Missile Crisis was the Bay of Pigs, and getting involved in Vietnam. His successor did more for civil rights.

Bah. Even if you give all the blame to Kennedy for the Bay of Pigs and Vietnam (and Vietnam would be quite unfair), the Cuban Missile Crisis towers over them in importance. Also, civil rights was his platform.

Worst of all, Marilyn Monroe might have been been forced to sleep with Nixon if she wanted to have an affair with the president.   

Eh. The missile crisis performance was less than stellar. And civil rights would have advanced faster if Nixon had won that election, I think. I would say he was better at small things that were symbolic but had little impact in that regard. Nixon might have actually taken some chances. If you're going to give him credit for stuff, getting the economy back on track, the moon challenge and making the Irish love us are better examples. 

Okay, but even if I concede all of that, what about Marilyn?

[Razgovory]

JFK. Did he make a discovery that saved millions of lives? Maybe not, but he was pivotal in the cuban missile crisis, the civil rights movement, and the discovery of the moon (you may say the moon landings didn't really discover the moon, but with the Brain's demands for evidence in science and history, you could say that until we set foot on the moon, the moon was just one theory competing with the concept that it was a giant block of cheese).

MLK would be a better choice, if you want to try to land his red herring.

I like Kissinger.  Though he's not dead yet.

[Malthus]

Plus he humped Marilyn Monroe. That's got to count for something. 

But seriously - apples to oranges comparison.

I'd say his actual achievements as President tend to be over-rated because of his assassination. In addition to the Cuban Missile Crisis was the Bay of Pigs, and getting involved in Vietnam. His successor did more for civil rights.

Bah. Even if you give all the blame to Kennedy for the Bay of Pigs and Vietnam (and Vietnam would be quite unfair), the Cuban Missile Crisis towers over them in importance. Also, civil rights was his platform.

Worst of all, Marilyn Monroe might have been been forced to sleep with Nixon if she wanted to have an affair with the president.   

Eh. The missile crisis performance was less than stellar. And civil rights would have advanced faster if Nixon had won that election, I think. I would say he was better at small things that were symbolic but had little impact in that regard. Nixon might have actually taken some chances. If you're going to give him credit for stuff, getting the economy back on track, the moon challenge and making the Irish love us are better examples. 

Okay, but even if I concede all of that, what about Marilyn?

I gotta concede that saving Marilyn from having to sleep with Nixon is pretty heroic. 

[alfred russel]

JFK. Did he make a discovery that saved millions of lives? Maybe not, but he was pivotal in the cuban missile crisis, the civil rights movement, and the discovery of the moon (you may say the moon landings didn't really discover the moon, but with the Brain's demands for evidence in science and history, you could say that until we set foot on the moon, the moon was just one theory competing with the concept that it was a giant block of cheese).

MLK would be a better choice, if you want to try to land his red herring.

I was putting a lot of stock in JFK discovering the moon (posthumously).

[The Brain]

I saw a NASA exhibition today. It was a bit disappointing actually, but at least they had Russian space vodka on display.

[crazy canuck]

I saw a NASA exhibition today. It was a but disappointing actually, but at least they had Russian space vodka on display.

Not enough animals and Butts?

[alfred russel]

I gotta concede that saving Marilyn from having to sleep with Nixon is pretty heroic. 

True heroism will be if you respond to grumbler's post point by point, and then dedicate to outlast him in this thread. 

[The Brain]

I saw a NASA exhibition today. It was a but disappointing actually, but at least they had Russian space vodka on display.

Not enough animals and Butts?

They had several space toilets but you weren't allowed to try them. I found out.

[Malthus]

His life is about as full of inspiration as it is possible to be for a Canadian.  Which is to say, not much.

If winning a metal for bravery by saving people under fire while wounded *and* winning a Nobel prize for saving millions by discovering insulin "isn't much" then what IS? 

I'd say your finding hims to be "heroic" says something more about you than my not finding him heroic says about me.  You have already conceded that you have family ties to the man.  I, OTOH, have no horse in this race.

It will be more interesting to have you explain why those four, and only those four, items combine to make a "hero" in your eyes.  I am not going to try to catch your red herring.  It has no significance for me whatever.

Seems to me you are making a fool of youself over this, just because your feeble attempt at Canada-bating has turned sour on you. A military hero *and* nobel prize-winning scientist not enough "inspiration" for you? What, as others have asked, is?