re: when dinos ruled

["Matthew Bonnan" <mbonnan@hotmail.com>]

Sherry Michael said:

Instead of bitching about how innacurate these shows are, spread
> *good* information however you can. Donate a good dinosaur book to school
> library. Speak to the public as much as possible. Open up the doors a 
> little
> bit.

Thank you Sherry Michael!  The public by and large does care about dinosaurs 
and paleontology.  Since approximately 8% of the total budget goes to all 
sciences, education, social programs, etc., dinosaur paleontology in the US 
is well supported compared to anywhere else in the world.  Just ask any of 
our South American friends -- they can tell you how bad it is and how good 
we have it.

What is this talk about dinosaur shows for kids being equivalent to hitting 
a donkey in the face a few times with a big stick?  Are children today 
really as dumb as asses?  How can such a comment, on a list which young 
people access regularly, be tolerated?  By the same token, 50% of the public 
IS NOT BELOW AVERAGE intelligence!  This is confusing a test score with 
statistics -- a score of 50% is not the same as 50% of everyone.

Trying to take some pics of Diplodocus at the Smithsonian a few weeks ago 
and fighting crowds to do it, it occurred to me that all these parents and 
kids, coming from everywhere in the country and abroad, were packing the 
halls to see DEAD REPTILES.  Think about that!  Most museums that lose their 
dinosaurs or have to take them off exhibit temporarily, lose money.

If you have anything to do with dinosaurs, you must deal with the public.  
The public is interested, but many have been turned off to science.  
Dinosaurs represent one of the greatest educational vehicles for scientists 
to get science across to a lay audience.  Let's not destroy this wonderful 
connection by thinking we somehow have a monopoly on intelligence.

Matt Bonnan


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