<< However, if being ridiculed (and I'm sure there is no malice in it, Tom)
for being emotional, conservative and respecting Dr. Snow is the worst
thing that happens to me all day, then I think I've got nothing to
complain about. Again, here's my humble opinion but I've always thought
respect had to be earned but everyone deserves courtesy. And on that
basis, thank you for your response and have a nice holiday.
Susan Evans >>
"Emotional" referred to your argument style only--the introduction of an
emotional component (the possibility of death by glycogen loading) that was
not supported by any evidence. Also, your opinion on tying up being due to
glycogen loading, and supported by the literature, was a legitimate attack
point, because I have not seen that in the literature. Until now, you have
displayed a somewhat authoritative tone, suggesting well-researched
pronouncements. I questioned this one because it is contrary to my own
experience. Now we're away from the literature and into your personal
opinions for your own horses. So be it.
My posts are rather direct, and my style of argument is not smarmy by any
stretch of the imagination. In fact, I consider smarminess a form of lying.
Courtesy is another thing--and I can be as deficient in it as any other when
riled. It's difficult enough to try to sort through all the scientific jargon
in search of nuggets of truth, but a much nastier situation when you're
encountering, time and again, personal agendas disguised as science.
Knowledge is power and power corrupts. There is a responsibility inherent in
adopting the authoritative voice: you must tell the truth to the extent that
you know it. And a goodly part of that truth is knowing where, and telling
where, your thoughts are unsupported by evidence.
It is a technique of debate to extrapolate an incorrect point of view to its
ridiculous extremes as long as the other debator's point is not distorted in
the extrapolation. No offense intended. Let's see if Dane becomes insulted
because i extended his aversion to performance improvement to its extreme. if
so, i probably don't belong in this polite and correct discussion group.
ti