Todd and everyone else,

As an avid lurker for some time, I finally have to say something. I suggest
that we all take a deep breath, walk away from our computers for a while and
then come back to what we were doing a little more refreshed.

Feel better? Good. I do too.

What I liked a lot about Ray's book was that it challenged conventional
thinking and made sense of what was previously confusing and irrational (in
hindsight). I think most of us on this list feel the same way to some
degree. So among this particular group, Neanderthin could now be called the
conventional thinking.

In my opinion, what Todd has done is applied some of the same analytical
tools to look at Neanderthin that Ray (and others) used to look at previous
conventional diets. Unfortunately, that kind of inquiry creates discomfort.
Those of us who feel like we've finally figured out this whole diet and
fitness thing don't want a wrench thrown in the works. We try to protect and
guard our intellectual property. We may even get annoyed at the person who's
poking around our property. At some point the avid inquisitor no longer
feels welcome. Yuck!

Now I'm not saying that this has happened here or that it has to happen.
Hopefully it won't. Before it does, I'd like to encourage the debate that
has been taking place. I appreciate the diversity of opinions and the amount
of research that everyone is doing. Saves a heck of a lot of effort on my
part when folks like Ray and Todd do a bunch of digging, send us the gems,
and we all get to debate their value.

And quite frankly <soapbox warning>, if we can't handle a little scientific
method and objective scrutiny applied to our theories then something is
wrong. If something looks like an ideology, walks like an ideology, etc...
<stepping down>

So Todd, as a totally selfish gesture, I hope you stay. And I hope you keep
asking questions. And I hope someone comes up with the answers because I
know I don't have them.

I'd offer to buy everyone a beer, but, you know, carbs and hops and all that
bad stuff. Not sure everyone would drink it.

Cheers,

Patrick


-----Original Message-----
<big snip> But I am increasingly aware that this is a
mistake on my part, so I think it's best that I cease inflicting
my questions on the readers of this list.

All the best,

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]