06
Apr
2016
“Is This Thing On?”
This old post still gets some constructive feedback. Check out 5 of the last 6 comments. These guys actually think I was waiting for Hitchens to die, as if he would care what some economist put on a blog.
This is the same attitude that makes Bill Nye say, “!@?#?@#? I can only conclude that Christians don’t think astronomical observations are scientific.”
At least the person who posted that last comment was polite enough to call you “sir.”
I will rebut this post…soooooon…….
“Because Hitchens would have disemboweled Murphy if he actually got the chance to rebut this argument, and Murphy definitely knows it.”
LOL!!!! I’ve seen Hitchens debate. He’s terrible.
This is the point where Hitchens would say that you are disingenuous in your website biography in claiming, intentionally or by obfuscation, that you are a professor at Texas A&M University proper rather than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. I’m sure TAM-CC is a fine school but it is not A&M – as any Aggie would gladly point out..
Bill Nye is a terrible debater – that doesn’t mean his position is incorrect. That may or may not be the case but his quality as a debater has no bearing on whether or not the position is accurate. It is very much like William Lane Craig’s admonition to the audience to not discount his views about God just because he may be a poor vessel to communicate those views. It is Craig’s fault – not God’s – if he fails in his mission. I’m sure you are aware of this and I’m pointing out the obvious.
Knox, you either need to brush up on your googling skills or start being honest.
I am with Texas A&M University, here’s my faculty page: http://agecon.tamu.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/russell-levi/
As this page notes, I’m located off the main campus:
http://agecon.tamu.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/#R
And, if you’d bothered to look, I note on my site that I’m in the Department of Agricultural Economics. There is no such department at TAMU-CC. So your attempt to smear me is just hilariously childish.
“Bill Nye is a terrible debater – that doesn’t mean his position is incorrect.”
I never offered that as proof that he was incorrect.
“I’m sure you are aware of this and I’m pointing out the obvious.”
Indeed… so why did you even bother to write this comment at all, except in an attempt to smear me?
Grow up, dude.
Knox, you either need to brush up on your googling skills or start being honest.
I am with Texas A&M University. Google “Levi Russell TAMU” and you’ll quickly find my faculty page. You’ll note, if you’re honest, that it is in fact the Agricultural Economics Dept at Texas A&M University. You’ll also note that I and several of my colleagues operate from off-campus research and extension facilities. There is no Agricultural Economics department at TAMU-CC and I have no affiliation with them.
So your attempt to smear me is just hilariously childish.
“Bill Nye is a terrible debater – that doesn’t mean his position is incorrect.”
I never offered that as proof that he was incorrect.
“I’m sure you are aware of this and I’m pointing out the obvious.”
Indeed… so why did you even bother to write this comment at all, except in an attempt to smear me?
Grow up, dude.
http://agecon.tamu.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/russell-levi/
Office Address:
Texas A&M University System Research and Extension Center
10345 Hwy 44
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Dr. Russell is Assistant Professor and Extension Economist in the Agricultural Economics Department, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University System.
I pulled this off your page. You office in Corpus Christi and not College Station, right? Oh, wait, I get it – they have you stowed away at an “extension” office. Nice.
To people here in Texas the difference between UT and UT-Tyler, for example, as part of the UT System is obvious. Your CV says Texas A&m University SYSTEM which is not the same thing as TAMU in College Station. To you that may be a distinction without a difference but it isn’t. If you are an assistant professor with the real university what are you doing in Corpus rather than back at the Station? There can’t be that much research going on down there.
Your incredulity doesn’t counteract my factual statements.
If I’m not faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics at TAMU, then why am I on the faculty page? My physical location is dictated by my role in the department: namely that I provide extension education and applied research to agricultural producers in a region of the state. Many land grant universities operate on this model in their Colleges of Agriculture. More used to, but funding reductions required them to reduce the number of such positions. If you consult a map, you’ll note that Texas is quite large and agriculturally diverse, so we still operate on this model.
I’m expected, as are the rest of my off-campus colleagues, to get promoted from Assistant to Associate to Full Professor like the rest of our department. I just had my annual review with my department head, Parr Rosson, a few weeks ago. You’ll note that he is, in fact, the department head at Texas A&M University.
As to the “System” part, all land grant universities separate at some level the teaching, research, and extension functions. Texas A&M makes this distinction a little more obvious for marketing purposes but structurally we are no different from Oklahoma, Georgia, or Louisiana. See my previous statements for more information.
Not that I need to explain any of this to some anonymous internet clown, but, unlike you, I respect the truth so I defend it.
Got it. Rosson is the head of the department at the actual university in College Station and you are posted at the “extension” in Corpus Christi. The differentiation between member universities in the TAMU is irrelevant and for marketing purposes and therefore a degree from College Station is equivalent in stature with one from say, A&M Kingsville.
Glad we got that cleared up. And you don’t teach undergrads or graduate students, right?
http://agecoext.tamu.edu/about-us/people/dr-levi-russell/
“Dr. Russell’s responsibilities involve development and delivery of extension educational programs and applied research for industry audiences in the 18 counties of the Coastal Bend, including farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses.”
You are a “professor” in the same way that a fry cook at McDonald’s works at the corporate offices.
“you are posted at the “extension” in Corpus Christi”
You don’t even know the definition of the term “Extension” in this context. Sigh…
” The differentiation between member universities in the TAMU is irrelevant and for marketing purposes and therefore a degree from College Station is equivalent in stature with one from say, A&M Kingsville.”
I never said that. You aren’t reading, troll. I am talking about the components of the College of Agriculture at Texas A&M University: Teaching, Research, and Extension. They are differentiated for marketing purposes. The other member universities are a different story. Try to keep up, troll.
” And you don’t teach undergrads or graduate students, right?”
Well I’m fairly new but I’m currently on a grad students’ committee at A&M. The students last name is “Roots” and can be found publicly on my CV.
“You are a “professor” in the same way that a fry cook at McDonald’s works at the corporate offices.”
I’m a professor in the sense that it’s literally my title and I am required to meet the same conditions for promotion as everyone else in my dept. You may take issue with the three-part mission of a land grant university (which is what you’re doing, even though you think you’re attacking me), but that has no bearing whatsoever on my status.
Now, unless you have any other ignorant, childish attacks to level at me because I criticized (briefly) your patron saint of atheism, please feel free to stay on topic.
Levi, Levi, Levi … you could have just linked to your “Faculty” webpage and CV and let us decipher from that your position isn’t at lowly TAMU-CC but at the high flying “extension” located nearby. Who’s the one who is butt hurt? You are not on faculty in College Station. That is true. You are at an “AgriLIfe” extension in Corpus Christi. You can spin it that you are a legit faculty member at the big boy school but your CV doesn’t bear that out.
I did link to it, troll.
“but at the high flying “extension” located nearby.”
Can you define the term Extension as it applies to agricultural land grant universities?
“Who’s the one who is butt hurt?”
You, the troll who is mad because someone criticized your god. Aw sad!! :'(
“You are not on faculty in College Station. That is true. You are at an “AgriLIfe” extension in Corpus Christi. ”
This will make your tiny little troll head spin:
Many of my colleagues in College Station actually work for AgriLife Extension as well. So does that make them not professors at A&M?
“You can spin it that you are a legit faculty member at the big boy school but your CV doesn’t bear that out.”
TAMU’s ag econ website bears it out. That’s a true fact. The fact that you can’t handle it is what makes this conversation continue.
So, like all adults must do when conversing with children, I’m cutting you off. You can continue to scream at the top of your lungs about this, but you’re just wrong. I provided all the evidence needed above. I don’t need to reply any more.
If anyone else has questions, please feel free to contact me:
lrussell [at] tamu [dot] edu
Wow, you’re even digging into my CV! It’s amazing how butt hurt you atheist trolls get over one little comment…
I had to because you are spinning it like you are on the big faculty at the big school rather than at an “extension” office in BFE.
I’m not spinning anything, you’re merely accusing me of it. You obviously know nothing about land grant universities or how their colleges of agriculture work. I’m calling you out on it and you just keep dropping ignorant nonsense.
Here’s our convo in a nut shell so far:
You: “He’s just a TAMU-CC Professor!”
Me: No, I’m a TAMU professor, as it clearly says on the TAMU Ag Econ dept site.
You: You aren’t located in College Station so you aren’t a professor!!
Me: Actually, my title literally says “Assistant Professor and Extension Economist” You obviously don’t know what Extension means in this context so your critique is just silly.
You: Ugh! You’re spinning everything! You’re at an “extension” office!!!
Me: Do you even know what that means?
And on and on we go. I feel bad for Bob, he tries so hard to keep you atheist trolls in line…
knoxharrington,
Everyone can see you were clearly wrong. Just apologize like an adult and move on.
What the heck just happened?
What a weird thread.
If you want to continue to discuss my professional life, please send me an e-mail. I think Bob would prefer that his comment sections stay on topic.
Here’s my e-mail:
lrussell [at] tamu [dot] edu
Have a nice day!
You’re being so dishonest! A careful review of your CV proves that your email address does not actually contain “[at]” it only contains the more pedestrian “@”.
HA!
“LOL!!!! I’ve seen Hitchens debate. He’s terrible.”
“This is the point where Hitchens would say that you are disingenuous in your website biography in claiming, intentionally or by obfuscation, that you are a professor at Texas A&M University proper rather than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.”
Wow he IS a terrible debater!
I don’t know if this was brought up back then but I thought this movie fantastic: http://www.amazon.com/COLLISION-Christopher-Hitchens-Douglas-Wilson/dp/B002M3SHTO
I think you can find the entire thing on YouTube now. It’s more about the men and their relationship than the arguments but, of course, that former can’t be discussed without some of the later.
I am sure when Krugman dies you will offer to debate him.
Knox, you are letting down the side. Levi Russell’s credentials have no more to with the fatuity of his opinions than Callahan’s or Murphy’s have to do with the fatuity of theirs.
The funny thing is, neither of you know what my opinions are. All I said was that Hitchens was a crappy debater. For all you know, I could be an atheist who is just honest about his opinion of other atheists’ debate prowess! I’m disappointed. 🙁
The funny thing is I said nothing about your views.
Would you care to debate this, or will you read carefully?
“the fatuity of his opinions”
So… opinions =/= views? I mean, maybe not, but good grief, we’re splitting hairs.
I’m glad you’re at least staying on topic. Bravo!
Conditionals are hard for some people. let’s pretend Knox was arguing your penis small because you have a beard. I criticize his argument thus: Levi’s facial hair has no more to do with the smallness of his penis than Callahan’s facial hair has to do with the smallness of his.
Is it clear now? I am suggesting Knox’s attack on your opinions is not advanced by his fatuous ad hominem attempt.
Schematically: “y does not imply X” does not imply X. I am saying “y does not imply X” . You read me as implying X.
Of course that is a step towards proving X in this case, X being “Levi’s views are fatuous”.
I understand all that. Let me clarify.
In my experience with anonymous internet atheist trolls like KH, any criticism of famous atheists is met with rage and personal vendetta. Very few actually think about whether the criticism is valid. It’s just instant attack mode.
Anyway, that was my point, however poorly made it was.
FWIW I agree on that point. On Coyne’s site I made the observation that Neil Tyson lsot credibility after he confabulated false memories about Bush. Now that’s a generous take on what Tyson did. It’s perfectly reasonable to think Tyson just lied. I was being (uncharactersitically) irenic. But the place just erupted and I got put on moderation for months, due to lese majeste.
I have to clarify one thing here. I wasn’t saying that Levi’s credentials, or lack thereof, indicate anything as to the validity of his assessment of Hitchens as a debater. I implied, apparently unclearly, that Hitchens was ruthless in style and would have called Levi to the carpet for inflating his academic standing (my interpretation of his bio with which he obviously disagrees):
“This is the point where Hitchens would say that you are disingenuous in your website biography in claiming, intentionally or by obfuscation, that you are a professor at Texas A&M University proper rather than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. I’m sure TAM-CC is a fine school but it is not A&M – as any Aggie would gladly point out.”
I also went on to point out the quality of one’s skill as a debater bears no impact to the truth or falsity of the matter asserted:
“Bill Nye is a terrible debater – that doesn’t mean his position is incorrect. That may or may not be the case but his quality as a debater has no bearing on whether or not the position is accurate. It is very much like William Lane Craig’s admonition to the audience to not discount his views about God just because he may be a poor vessel to communicate those views. It is Craig’s fault – not God’s – if he fails in his mission. I’m sure you are aware of this and I’m pointing out the obvious.”
If it isn’t clear by now it would make no difference to me if Levi was teaching at Oxford or Salamanca or the AgriLIfe Extension as to whether or not his opinion is valid. I wanted to call him out for, in my opinion, attempting to bandwagon himself into a better position than he actually holds which has some bearing on his opinion as he displays a lack of candor or truthfulness.
I didn’t agree or disagree with Levi’s assessment of Hitchens as a debater. It may be implied that I disagree with him on that issue, and I do, but that was not the genesis of my critique. I think his bio should state that he works at the AgriLIfe Extension of TAMU in Corpus Christi rather than the implication that he is teaching and researching on the main campus in College Station. I understand he thinks that is nitpicking and an overly critical conclusion. I think it is being purposefully disingenuous.
If someone walked up to Levi and asked “where do you work?” and he replied “I’m an assistant professor in the agricultural economics department at Texas A&M” the person asking the question would assume, wrongly as it turns out, that he is a teacher and researcher at the campus in College Station. Anyone with even a moderate understanding of the academic world would fine that response to be misleading.
It really is amazing how much time you’ll spend on this.
Whenever I meet someone interested in my professional work, I explain fully what my job is. It’s there plain as day on my website. The fact is, my check comes from the Dept of Ag Econ at Texas A&M University. I am on the faculty there. A one-paragraph description of me and my research interests (such as the one on the FH contributors page) doesn’t need to go into all that. My personal website *does* go into all that.
I really don’t understand your fascination (obsession?) with my professional credentials, but it sure seems like you have a bigger problem with land grant extension than you do with me. I don’t think Bob cares a whit what you think about this, so it seems odd that someone in good faith would see fit to derail a thread as you have. I guess that means you’re a troll.
So I clicked through. Levi is, exactly as he said, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Texas A&M.
Knox has a point though as right in the middle of Levi’s page is a signed note from the president of Texas A&M that reads “Levi Russel is unqualified for his post but he has compromising pictures of me with a farm animal so I had to hire him but at least I banished him to Corpus Christi, where he sits with a dunce cap on.” So I’m calling this one a draw.
My dad is an Emeritus professor of Agricultural Economics as it happens.
LOL!
Happy to hear we have something in common, Craw.
Well, what I don’t understand is why Hitchens waited for Jesus to die before he posted all of his criticisms… seems pretty cowardly.
Meh. He waited until Jesus was alive again.
I know! Let’s stop debating Levi’s CV. I have deleted the last few comments on this fascinating topic and will snuff out anything further.
Hey Bob, in case you are wondering: while belief in God is absolutely unacceptable, it is totally cool with the “scientific community” to believe that we’re just living in someone else’s computer program.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-we-living-in-a-computer-simulation/