Here what I emailed in 2008 to the author of an article that was already debunking their 'research'. I know it's easy, now, to mock them (and well deserved in m

Here what I emailed in 2008 to the author of an article that was already debunking their 'research'. I know it's easy, now, to mock them (and well deserved in many ways, but at one point, they were influential, for the good of the like of Little Me in any case. Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:15:42 +0000 To: baez@xxx.edu Subject: Regarding the Bogdanoff Hi John, I'm a french engineer, 39, living in england. I've read your very interesting article on <http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/bogdanov.html> (which was pointed at by http://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2008/11/the_case_of_m_s_el_naschie.html) and just wanted to pinch in from another direction. I've been interested in technology since in my 10s (I started programming computers at 12, and never stopped since) and I'm afraid to say that my interest in anything scientific, engineering, astronomical etc is probably due for a large part to the Bogdanoff's TV programs in the very early 80s. In fact, I know quite a few friends with similar background who remember these shows not necessarily 'fondly' but remember as them being the 'key point' in an afternoon otherwise filled with inflatable and/or fury creatures on TV. So, in a 'french' way, they are quite similar to for example Sir Patrick Moore, the revered TV presenter here in the UK. Oh I'm sure they probably have a large dose of self-interest that Sir Patrick lacks, but in my case it did fit a very similar purpose. I'm not sure how large an impact they had on the whole, but in my case it did. Given that, I do agree that this shenanigan to get doctorates is both stupid and embarrassingly crude, however, I've worked with enough 'doctors' to know that many of them haven't contributed anything to anything in their entire life, and thats if they're able to tie they own shoes. My opinion is that the brothers deserved Hon Doctorates from a random and suitably posh university to celebrate their indirect but real contribution to the scientific world (in the like of little me for example), and deserved it a hell of a lot more than many 'celebrities' that get these for having played football well or similar frivolous reasons. In any case, thanks for the very informative piece! Best Regards, (I'm a real person, not a Bogdanoff in disguise ! ;-))