Would this guy volunteer to be among the 90%?

Another Paul Ehrlich in the making...

It fascinates me that biologists that preach the end of civilization as we know it are labelled "revered". The latest of the "revered" biologists to claim that a massive human die-off is coming says:

“Every one of you who gets to survive has to bury nine,” Eric Pianka cautioned students and guests at St. Edward’s University on Friday. Pianka’s words are part of what he calls his “doomsday talk” — a 45-minute presentation outlining humanity’s ecological misdeeds and Pianka’s predictions about how nature, or perhaps humans themselves, will exterminate all but a fraction of civilization.

Though his statements are admittedly bold, he’s not without abundant advocates. But what may set this revered biologist apart from other doomsday soothsayers is this: Humanity’s collapse is a notion he embraces.

Indeed, his words deal, very literally, on a life-and-death scale, yet he smiles and jokes candidly throughout the lecture. Disseminating a message many would call morbid, Pianka’s warnings are centered upon awareness rather than fear.

“This is really an exciting time,” he said Friday amid warnings of apocalypse, destruction and disease. Only minutes earlier he declared, “Death. This is what awaits us all. Death.” Reflecting on the so-called Ancient Chinese Curse, “May you live in interesting times,” he wore, surprisingly, a smile.

Oh, gag me! Yet more evidence that we love to hear scare talk. The guy should get over himself and read a couple Julian Simon books.

My San Diego friend, Rocky, had the right attitude: "What's the time line? We have some vacations planned for this summer."

There is at least one scientist that doesn't fawn over this idiocy. It's Forrest Mims, chairman of the Environmental Science section at the Texas Academy of Science. He attended the talk quoted above:

[F]ive hours later, the distinguished leaders of the Texas Academy of Science presented Pianka with a plaque in recognition of his being named 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist. When the banquet hall filled with more than 400 people responded with enthusiastic applause, I walked out in protest.

Meanwhile, I still can't get out of my mind the pleasant spring day in Texas when a few hundred scientists of the Texas Academy of Science gave a standing ovation for a speaker who they heard advocate for the slow and torturous death of over five billion human beings.