As one of your avid readers, I wish to differ with you on the item "Talking Big," which appeared in "Government Briefs" (The Scientist, May 14, 1990, page 2). It states that "Last month George Bush made the first presidential appearance in nearly 30 years before the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences."
Wrong. President Carter made a similar speech to the academy in April of 1980.
The trouble with Bush's speech was that it was long on rhetoric but very short on execution. I was there, and continue to be dismayed by his good intentions and no follow-up.
- PAUL K. STUMPF
- Member, NAS
- Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry
- University of California
- Davis
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