The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

wendybeth · 04-23-2006, 06:30 PM

Any scientist with a political agenda that influences his/her findings on a particular subject regardless of data indicating otherwise is in the wrong, and in the wrong business. I apply that to scientists on both sides of the issue. As laypeople, we depend on their expertise to help us determine our own stand on issues. When the information is tainted by politics and business interests it becomes worthless. Hell, worse than worthless- it's dangerous. Galileo, Copernicus, Tycho, etc all had to deal with people willing to go to great lengths to supress or distort their findings and it is sad to see such shenanigans continuing on to present day. I would never and will never knowingly support behavior, so I am very cautious with regards to studies and such.

Stan4dSteph · 04-23-2006, 07:56 PM

FYI, there was an interesting documentary on HBO2 tonight: Too Hot Not To Handle. It's playing on HBO2 West at 10 PM CA time.

One of the people on it, Stephen Schneider, is at Stanford and I took a global climate modeling class from him. I loved his statement toward the end comparing the politicians asking for the detailed how much and when on global warming to a patient being advised by his doctor that he should lower his cholesterol and exercise due to heart disease responding with "well tell me when and how bad the heart attack will be and I'll deal with it then."

The doc. details what effects global warming are having and will likely have on the US, and also what can be done to help slow the progress of warming.

wendybeth · 04-23-2006, 08:45 PM

I'm gonna try and catch that tonight, Steph- ty!

Okay, in keeping with the randomness of the thread, here's a fun little nugget from CNN: WMD intell dismissed early on.

""It just sticks in my craw every time I hear them say it's an intelligence failure," Drumheller told CBS' Ed Bradley. "This was a policy failure. I think, over time, people will look back on this and see this is going to be one of the great, I think, policy mistakes of all time."

Don't bother us with WMD intelligence- we're all about regime change now!

04-23-2006, 06:30 PM	#1
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	Any scientist with a political agenda that influences his/her findings on a particular subject regardless of data indicating otherwise is in the wrong, and in the wrong business. I apply that to scientists on both sides of the issue. As laypeople, we depend on their expertise to help us determine our own stand on issues. When the information is tainted by politics and business interests it becomes worthless. Hell, worse than worthless- it's dangerous. Galileo, Copernicus, Tycho, etc all had to deal with people willing to go to great lengths to supress or distort their findings and it is sad to see such shenanigans continuing on to present day. I would never and will never knowingly support behavior, so I am very cautious with regards to studies and such. __________________ Last edited by wendybeth : 04-23-2006 at 06:37 PM.
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04-23-2006, 07:56 PM	#2
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	FYI, there was an interesting documentary on HBO2 tonight: Too Hot Not To Handle. It's playing on HBO2 West at 10 PM CA time. One of the people on it, Stephen Schneider, is at Stanford and I took a global climate modeling class from him. I loved his statement toward the end comparing the politicians asking for the detailed how much and when on global warming to a patient being advised by his doctor that he should lower his cholesterol and exercise due to heart disease responding with "well tell me when and how bad the heart attack will be and I'll deal with it then." The doc. details what effects global warming are having and will likely have on the US, and also what can be done to help slow the progress of warming.
	Submit to Quotes

04-23-2006, 08:45 PM	#3
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	I'm gonna try and catch that tonight, Steph- ty! Okay, in keeping with the randomness of the thread, here's a fun little nugget from CNN: WMD intell dismissed early on. ""It just sticks in my craw every time I hear them say it's an intelligence failure," Drumheller told CBS' Ed Bradley. "This was a policy failure. I think, over time, people will look back on this and see this is going to be one of the great, I think, policy mistakes of all time." Don't bother us with WMD intelligence- we're all about regime change now! __________________
	Submit to Quotes