NASA Science Under Attack

The Bad Astronomer writes "The New York Times is reporting that NASA science is being harassed and even sometimes suppressed by presidential political appointees. The article details how NASA scientists dealing with such topics as global warming and the Big Bang are under attack for ideological and religious reasons." The submitter also has a running commentary summarizing a bit of the background of the story on his blog.

Comments

Balance the argument

[Half a dent]

For the sake of journalistic balance can we please not refer to God but to "God theory" instead. Thank you.

I'm very happy

[ochnap2]

Being non-USian I'm very happy with this kind of things, because it means the start of the decline of USA in science and technology. A few years of this and the table will a little more leveled...

Cheers!
Och

(Sarcastic mood. Sorry)

Re:I'm very happy

[Anonymous Coward]

What do you mean "start of the decline of USA in science and technology"? We are already far behind. Being a "USian" as you put it, I find our current position horribly embarrassing.

Re:I'm very happy

[ochnap2]

Why troll? I mean: it's a *sarcastic* comment... that being: tries to get some kind of twisted humor out of the potential bad outcomes of this kind of policies.

Saying I was happy was the hook, but I supposed you would understand that I meant exactly the opposite. Fanatism is bad anywhere.

Cheers!
Och

Re:I'm very happy

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm also quite pleased, it means "Operation American Freedom" can begin sooner than expected. With assistance from our Australian allies, they'll be sipping tea and watching Eastenders before the decade's out. _>

Re:I'm very happy

[stud9920]

And the decline of an economical/cultural power is beneficial to other powers how ?

Re:Old but with a new twist.

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought Science was about Fact. Haven't we all learned from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade that truth is to be found down the hall in Philosophy 101?

Nah, this is great.

[jesdynf]

I support the Bush Administration's care and attention to detail in this matter. George W. Bush has shown unusual insight and respect of the scientific process. I did not think we'd see a president so careful of these proprieties he'd actually refer to the "theory of God" or "Jesus-theory" in his speeches, but it seems in this man we have--- what?

Oh. Well, that's just not gonna work, now is it?

Re:A Little Over Blown

[Simon Garlick]

Wheee! This is awesome. A large powerful nation giving itself a lobotomy.

Pass the popcorn!

About the "theory" thing

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's all agree: everything is a theory. Thus, you will be speaking about "the secession war theory", (has anybody alive seen it happen? Where are the proofs? those uniforms can be faked, come on! Slaves were happy, they were praying god! Only left-wing nuts taught us tales of nasty slavery, to destroy our nation), the "gravity theory" (has anybody seen a "force"? sounds evil), the "round earth theory" and so on

Really?

[db32]

So...religious fundamentalists ignore science again and try to use their political clout to silence views opposed to theirs? This has been fairly obvious for a great deal of time... Remember that whole Scopes Monkey Trial thing? Want to go back further, I seem to remember some fairly important intellectuals getting executed for saying that Earth WASN'T the center of the universe! How is this news? What is this, Slashdot?

Shameless repost from sci.physics...

[seanellis]

Yes! Bring it all back! The inquisition! Clamps on free thought! An end to funding of that eeeevil physics stuff! Public executions of Witches! Decriminalisation of murder of Gays, Heathens and Single Mothers! A theocratic president telling you how to think! The whole enchilada!

But meanwhile, over here in England, we'll be watching, waiting for the inevitable collapse of your economic and social systems, and then, under the inspired leadership of Good King Harry, we'll load up the warships and TAKE BACK THE COLONIES!

Pat Buchanan will be promoted to Court Jester! New York will be renamed Chittingfold-on-Sea! Tea will be the only drink available in Boston! Everyone in Florida will be forced to wear knotted hankies on their heads and complain about the heat! Automobile production lines will be retooled to build Morris Minors! Beer will be served at slightly above room temperature! The decimal currency system will be replaced with a sensible system using mixed base-12 and base-20 arithmetic! Bowler hats will be available on the National Health!

Land of Hope and Gloryyyy, Mother of the Free....

</rant>

Sorry about that. We now return you to your regular programming...

Re:Shameless repost from sci.physics...

[el_gordo101]

Beer will be served at slightly above room temperature!

OK, that does it. The rest of our new British Overlord edicts I could live with, but for God's sakes man, leave our beer alone! Everyone knows that the only way that our American beer can be palateable is to chill it down to near freezing temperatures so as to hide the distinct flavour of mule-piss!

Touch the face of God

[payndz]

The Big Bang is "not proven fact; it is opinion," Mr. Deutsch wrote, adding, "It is not NASA's place, nor should it be to make a declaration such as this about the existence of the universe that discounts intelligent design by a creator."

It continued: "This is more than a science issue, it is a religious issue. And I would hate to think that young people would only be getting one-half of this debate from NASA.

In other news: NASA announces that per Presidential order, its new sole mandate is 'to carry men closer to the heavens, that they may touch the face of their Creator'.

So, can we expect just another two years of this creeping stupidity and madness... or another six? Or ten? Or...

Send George Deutsch a Flying Spaghetti Monster mug

[Dr. Zowie]

(Note: I'm not affiliated with CafePress or venganza.org -- this is a genuine suggestion...)

Why not bop over to CafePress and send a Flying Spaghetti Monster mug to George Deutsch? You can get his contact information with "finger george.deutsch@hq.nasa.gov", but I'll list it here. Please don't send anything obnoxious. On the other hand, Mr. Deutsch sounds like a man who could use a few dozen Flying Spaghetti Monster mugs (or perhaps a "This mug holds coffee and pisses off Jesus" mug or two).

name: gdeutsch
George Deutsch
postal address: NASA Headquarters
    300 E ST SW
    Washington DC 20546-0001
postal code: 20546-0001
room number: Building: HQ, Room: 3C54
surname: Deutsch
telephone: +1 202 358-1324
title: Public Affairs Officer, Science Mission Directorate

Re:Time Dilation

[Anonymous Coward]

I mean, the guy's not too bright, but claiming that anyone who can't wrap their head around time dilation should just give up and never try to think again would eliminate about 99.8% of the population of the world.

Sounds like a fine idea to me.

Re:Big Bang is not a "theory"

[Anonymous Coward]

This guy's not a troll, he's just ignorant. The theory of evolution has nothing to do with cosmology. It states that different combinations of genes produce different (if only slightly) animals, and that the combinations that are successful at getting passed on are (ahem) more likely to be passed on.

Note that most nerds' genes won't be passed on. Intelligence isn't what gets your genes passed on, FUCKING GETS YOUR GENES PASSED ON (losers).

Yes, THIS post is a troll. Losers.

Re:A Little Over Blown

[jc42]

This is awesome. A large powerful nation giving itself a lobotomy.

Actually, that happened back in November 2000. There was followup surgery in 2004.

At present, prognosis for recovery isn't good.

Re:Old but with a new twist.

[josh_miller]

Geez. He said he's a republican, not a fundamentalist. The one does not imply the other.