NASA Public-Affairs Appointee Resigns in Disgrace

belmolis writes "George C. Deutsch, who tried to muzzle top NASA climate scientist James Hansen and ordered NASA web designers to add the word 'theory' to every mention of the Big Bang, has resigned. The New York Times reports that NASA declines to discuss the reasons for his resignation, but that it came the same day that Texas A&M University, from which Deutsch claimed on his resume to have graduated, revealed that he had attended the university but did not complete his degree." The New York Times reports it today, but as of yesterday, it was the Times that had unquestioningly passed along the falsehood of Deutsch's graduation, and it was the blog Scientific Activist whose investigation revealed he'd left before graduating to work on the Bush reelection campaign. For more on the 24-year-old political appointee's interesting viewpoints, see World O' Crap; on Monday, we covered the anger over his attempts to squelch science -- something that, sadly, Jim Hansen has gotten used to.

Comments

I Work For NASA and Most of This is Patently False

[ThatsMrGregToYou]

I work in the Exploration Systems dept. at NASA.

So I am really getting a kick out of most of these replies.

Some of you guys are very good at making it sound like you know what you are talking about.

But trust me.... You don't.

I think you just want to make yourself sound smart, when in reality you dont know what you are talking about.

This is how bad info gets passed around.

If you dont know about the topic....Dont make yourself sound like you do.

Cuz some /.ers belive anything they hear.

Re:meta-moderation

[helioquake]

Heh, I suckered the moderator to lose a point. See if it works again.

Re:Stupid

[Anonymous Coward]

The vast majority of intelligent scientists accept that, if the big bang is a reasonable explanation, then there was some higher order power which instigated it.

Your use of the term "debate crowd" is the most fitting description. Anyone who chooses to get themselves all worked up into a rancor to deny the existence of a higher order power for no other reason than the opposite side calls that power "God" is not a scientist. They are a political meat puppet posing as a scientist for the fame and glory of the newspaper headlines, the court appearances, and the political lobbying.

If the IRS would send itemized contribution forms rather than tax bills you can bet the world that the funding for "political debate related to separation of Church and State" would be slashed to near zero. It's a dog'n'pony show.

Re:Number of points

[arivanov]

Deutsch did not graduate college. The fact that he is not a college graduate does not in of itself eliminate him from a spokespersons job. However, the major issue is that he lied about his graduation and because of that lapse in integrity should not be trusted.

Nope, here you got it wrong pal. This is what uniquely qualifies him to be a governmental spokeperson. Just ask anyone on this side of the pond. He will be spot on amidst Bliars, Darlings and Blunketts.

Re: Shroud of Turin

[matth]

There also is a big difference between solid Bible believing Christians, and lax Christians, as well as Catholic who think it's ok to swear as long as they go pay money to forgive their sins, and pray to Mary even though Jesus is the one they are suppose to be worshiping. What, are the lines to Jesus busy? Is he not all powerful? Why pray to Mary?! She was a regular human.. nothing special about her. It's idol worship. The Catholic Church is an idol worshiping Church, and therefore is not going to have morals as in the Bible. Like in the Corinthian Church, the Catholic Church has major issues these days and needs to come back to doing what the Bible says. Stop prohibiting what God has ordained (marriage) and things like popes and priests needing to go to little boys for "release" may come to an end.

If you prohibit what God has allowed, eventually you will allow what God has prohibited. - T. Georgan

Re:Good News and Bad News

[rtb61]

In this case don't call the christian right anti-science call it pro-ignorance. This whole thing is nothing but a further demonstration of politics and marketing out of control. You have an administration that couldn't be more pretend christian if they tried, using any venue the can to promote hostility and strife to distract the electorate from the problems the current administration and their corrupt practices are creating.

Put a fool in a position to draw fire and create arguments between misguided christians and victimised scientists to draw both groups attention away from more serious problems. Undermine yet another government agency so that funding can be contracted out to private caimpaign contributing corporations, the damage that is done to their society in the process is arbitrary compared to the profits to be made.

The current administration is nothing but a corrupt business, no politcal reform, no christian view, just marketing to stay in power and the profits to be generated. The lives, hopes and dreams of the electorate are just something for the public relations people to manipulate, something for the psuedo christians to abuse and something for the corporations to extract unlimited profit from.