Posted on 12/10/2014 5:33:30 AM PST by ek_hornbeck
Russia's richest man has revealed that he bought US scientist James Watson's Nobel Prize gold medal, and intends to return it to him.
Steel and telecoms tycoon Alisher Usmanov said Mr Watson "deserved" the medal, and that he was "distressed" the scientist had felt forced to sell it.
The medal, awarded in 1962 for the discovery of the structure of DNA, sold for $4.8m (£3m) at auction.
The medal was the first Nobel Prize to be put on sale by a living recipient.
The 1962 prize was awarded to Watson, along with Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick, with each receiving a gold medal.
Mr Watson, 86, has said he planned to donate part of the proceeds to charities and to support scientific research.
In an interview with the Financial Times recently, Mr Watson said he had been made to feel like an "unperson" since a Sunday Times interview seven years ago in which he linked race to intelligence.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Strange but Marconi won a Nobel but not Edison. Hmmm.
Yep. And the children of those Asians are either studying hard in school, or working hard to make the business grow.
Yeah...I know one too who served fried rice. He and his wife owned the restaurant. He also had two other occupations one that required a high IQ. Although you can’t be a dunce and run a successful restaurant either.
The "head in the sands" insanity, which prevents students studying the profound actual variations in the human species, prevents any rational approach to basic human problems.
Mr. Watson deserves an apology from all those in the public eye, who rushed to condemn him for daring to address the bases for some of the very "problems" frequently addressed as "grievances," which lead to completely unnecessary & unproductive ill will among peoples.
William Flax
“Stupid is as stupid does, sir.” — Forrest Gump
Agree, and IQ is not the best measure of success. Lots of people with high intelligence who are personal or professional failures.
My guess about Western culture is climate. The need to contend with changing seasons, including cold winters, may have motivated Caucasians to be innovative. “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
Also, modern Caucasian versus Oriental cultures reveal more decentralized decision-making and less slavishness to family or organizational structures. IOW, free-thinking West vs. robot-like East. Problem solving and leadership (West), as opposed to rote learning and following direction (East).
Nobody likes to end up in last place, especially behind golden labs........
My guess about Western culture is climate. The need to contend with changing seasons, including cold winters, may have motivated Caucasians to be innovative. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Also, modern Caucasian versus Oriental cultures reveal more decentralized decision-making and less slavishness to family or organizational structures. IOW, free-thinking West vs. robot-like East. Problem solving and leadership (West), as opposed to rote learning and following direction (East).
Excellent post. I never thought about that (the climate yes, the devotion to family and institutions, no). Whites (as a culture) seem to value independence, don't they..
This is probably why Caucasians, in spite of having lower IQs than East Asians, have surpassed them in inventiveness. What you say about individualism vs. collectivism probably plays a part too.
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