What science gives, stupidity and geopolitics may take away. Norman Borlaug is the (largely unknown) hero of the last half of the twentieth century. He is credited with saving the lives of millions by developing high-yield crops and other agricultural innovations. He is one of only five who have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal.
But things may be changing. The recent spike in oil prices, coupled with a switch from food to fuel production is putting the world at risk. A series of food shortages and riots may presage what’s to come.
His basic premise is that we have moved beyond the age of information-rich typography into a new world dominated by images and sound bites. The unit of discourse is the thirty second television commercial, which attempts to make an emotional connection with viewers rather than inform them. The result is a dumbing down of everything from the evening news to