Ah, the energy of youth.
Anyway, one is called The Science Police, the other is called Independence From What?
After those, you might like some Animalistic music in the video at the bottom of those posts.
The scientist being arrested in the photo probably wonders who thought up the idea of the federal science police: Each year, the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) investigates dozens of charges of scientific misconduct. And each year, the ORI adds a handful of names to a list of researchers found guilty of falsifying figures, fabricating data, or committing other academic infractions. As of April 1, 2009, this Administrative Actions list, presented on the ORI Web site, carried 38 names. These people are barred from receiving federal funds and/or serving on a Public Health Service committee, typically for a period of 3–5 years. Once the debarment term is up, the name disappears from the list. In theory, the punishment—and the shame — of the ordeal is over.(The Scientist, Life After Fraud). Yet the reality is that these scientists who stuff their test tubes are treated like sex offenders:
But even then, the stain of guilt can pursue them through every aspect of their life, professional and personal.This is surely not the intention. Any system of justice worthy of the name must mete out the applicable punishment alongside opportunities for rehabilitation and measures of crime prevention.(The Scientist, Fairness For Fraudsters). Gosh golly gee, sex guy and the science guy being put on lists, like terrorists? Whoa!
Dredd Blog has complained about the expanding universe in a tongue and cheek post, however, we did not mean to push Uncle Sam And The Pharoahs over the edge into Wooly Bully land and into ever expanding lists.
Run Climate Change Deniers, Run!!! And if Sarah Palin becomes head of this agency, Run Einstein Run!!
Wikipedia has an article on the Office of Research Integrity which focuses on scientific misconduct.
Does anyone else worry that this type of government office could become a political football to push or prevent certain scientific endeavours?
Scientists confirm that the Bush II regime suppressed science that did not agree with the regime's political platform:
Most scientists had heard at least a little about claims that government scientists were not allowed to report research findings that conflicted with the Bush administration’s point of view. And the vast majority (77%) says that these claims are true.(Pew Research). When you combine government science police with government suppression of science the government does not agree with, you can easily have the institutionalization of propaganda.
The next post in this series is here.
Of the many grievances listed in The Unanimous Declaration, the following is a most interesting one:He [the king] has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.(Declaration of Independence). One of our warrior presidents warned us that this rendering of "the military independent of and superior to civil power" was a danger that was threatening to become institutionalized into our system:
Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual --is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society.(President Dwight Eisenhower, emphasis added). In other words our independence as a free nation depends on there being no rendering of "the military independent of and superior to civil power", or the nation as we have known it will perish from the face of the earth, and something else will rise in its place.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
The "there is a shadow government" proponents say that what we declared our independence from, and what Eisenhower feared would happen, has happened behind the scenes; and for the most part happened so slowly as to be undetected.
There is undoubtedly behind the scenes dynamics that account for much of the strange goings on the popular TV Series Burn Notice depicts:
WEAPONS inspector David Kelly was writing a book exposing highly damaging government secrets before his mysterious death.(Daily Express, UK). Whether those mysterious deaths we hear about from time to time are official or rogue operations by military commanders is only one possibility.
He was intending to reveal that he warned Prime Minister Tony Blair there were no weapons of mass destruction anywhere in Iraq weeks before the British and American invasion.
Michael, the burned agent on Burn Notice, recently told the Miami Police investigator "we are on the same side", which is the gist of the matter ... are we?
La musica:
I wonder if denialist fraunds have ever been arrested?
ReplyDeleteOr, scientists working for big oil?
Or big tobbacco?
Or political "scientists"?