[Coral-List] "Good news" post by Gene, about Ove

[Jim Hendee]

Greetings,

    I want Coral-Listers (and especially Ove) to know that I asked Gene 
whether or  not he was sure he wanted to post the "good news" article 
before I approved it for circulation.  Obviously,  he did.   My thoughts 
on letting this message out were these:

    a) Ove's work stands on its own as well-intentioned good science, so
    no amount of assailing it through the news media is likely to
    besmirch him or the work.  His work is peer-reviewed just like every
    other reputable professional scientist's work.
    b) The article represents a real-world threat to good and
    well-meaning scientists everywhere; namely, that some folks in the
    media will jump on anything to discredit someone they have it in
    for.  (Think of the anti-global warming crowd.)  All you can do is
    carry on and do the best science you can do.
    c)  Who among us has not said what they think is right, in the
    interest of serving the cause of conservation, yet may be wrong? 
    For instance, some people feel high temperature is the main cause of
    coral bleaching, yet some folks think African dust is a primary
    reason and others should get enlightened.  It's complex, all we can
    do is the best we can do.
    d)  Hopefully, somebody will slam the "journalist" who wrote it, and
    in a public way, assailing him with truth and science, rather than
    through diatribe and innuendo.

    Cheers,
    Jim