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Science and Technology Medals Awarded
An anonymous reader writes "The Boston Globe is reporting that President Bush awarded science and technology achievement medals today to 15 laureates. The list of medal winners includes those who have done work that has 'revolutionized organ transplants, led to development of global positioning systems, and helped feed millions around the world.' "
And since he's so up on the "spirit of discovery" being a part of American culture, he surely wouldn't cut funds for schools...
To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
Damn you, inconveniently timed State of the Union address! DAMN YOU!
Ah, well, no matter. I shall simply toil in obscurity a little while longer -- and then when the day comes, let the planet tremble at my name! You laughed at me! You called me mad! I'll show you! I'LL SHOW YOU ALL!
The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
So what exactly do the winners of these awards get besides some face time and a piece of shiny metal?
Derive Politics
Seems that they're REALLY filtering the science news for the masses these days...
An old-timer with old-timey ideas.
...were these hand-picked by Bush himself or suggested to him by an advisor?
He handed a medal to Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel prize winner for "general economic equilibrium theory and welfare theory", and to Robert N. Clayton for his chemical analyses describing solar system evolution. Economic equilibrium, welfare and evolution - none of which Bush seems interested in the rest of the year.
Maybe he thinks he's at the Olympics, and these medalists need his help to get corporate sponsors for some advertising dollars to, you know, kind of catapult the propaganda.
--
make install -not war
I think the whole article is flamebait
No doubt. Please also post later tomorrow so you can link to an article showing how those scientists have refused the awards and recognition, etc.
Skipping to tomorrow: <crickets chirping>
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Before he awards any Science awards he should fire all the ignorant political appointees he placed to oversee real scientists. He should fire anybody who is as incompetent and unqualified as "You are doing a heck of a job Brownie."
I'd like to know more about the science. I don't really if an individual poster likes or dislikes Bush.
From TFA: "--Robert N. Clayton, The University of Chicago, for his contributions to geochemistry and cosmochemistry that provided insight into the evolution of the solar system."
Blasphemy! God created the heavens in six days, it was intelligently designed (TM) from the start! Blasphemy!
Bush (and 90% of the rest of the American population) doesn't know how to speak or read phonetics you insensitive clod.
;-)
The other 10% read Slashdot
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
... the 2004 medals of science. Why do the 2004 medals get announced by the President in November 2005, and presented in 2006? Is this a tradition, or a reflection of current priorities...?
This is...
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And the math department's decent, surprisingly. Good in geometry; for instance, Stony Brook is responsible for FIST (Fast Industrial Strength Triangulation), which was commissioned by Sun for the standard Java library. (Triangulation is basically separating a polygon into a set of triangles.)
In case you were wondering, here's Dr. Sullivan's website: http://www.math.sunysb.edu/~dennis/
Quite frankly, it's almost inappropriate. Almost insulting. Can you imagine standing up there, recieving a medal from a man you are quite sure is almost religious (ha... ha!) in his dismissal and disrespect for science and technology? From a president that has cut funding for the very same science and education that he is now rewarding? I think that an empty, hollow, false recognition is hardly better than no recognition at all. I can only hope that the very same group he is making nice to now will remember his prior deeds against them, and not be blown over with false gratitude, a mockery, a mask that attempts to obscure his previous words and actions.
games journalism blog
To be fair, he did say "phonics" in the title, not IPA...
Something like "Weed laik too preezent the aword foa jenettikally enjeneeyad myuutant weet to..."
So Ray Kroc got one?
-- I have a private email server in my basement.
Glad to hear that Industrial Light and Magic, a movie special effects company founded by George Lucas, is one of the recipients of this award. Obviously this piece of news was drowned out by the sound of one certain shotgun blast in Texas.
_ Magic)
A trivia about ILM -- John Lasseter (director of Toy Story) worked for ILM in the early 1980s as a computer animator. The computer graphics department, now known as Pixar, was eventually sold to Steve Jobs, which went on to create the first CG animated feature with Toy Story. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Light_and
Sun and Fun
It's not that bad. Think of it this way:
If a Democrat had presented the awards, it would just have gone to show that Democrats are all elitist university-educated intellectuals who think they know better than the rest of us. So their career in politics would be over.
If a non-neocon Republican had presented the awards, they would have had to resign to spend more time with their families like all of the other non-neocons. So their career in politics would be over too.
If a political independent had presented the awards, nobody would care and the ability of the scientists to get adequate funding would be as low as ever. And the political independent's career in politics would already be over, by definition.
But because Bush presented the awards, there are more than the normal amount of headlines due to the irony of the awards being presented by an anti-science imbecile--and that's actually good for the scientists' ability to get adequate funding. And Bush's career in politics might be over due to the sweet merciful relief of the 22nd Amendment, should the Constitution still be around for two more years.
So, you know, look at the bright side.
Am I the only one who finds it odd that there are no climatologists on the list? There has been a lot of research in the area lately, with many significant results. Or perhaps that's the problem...
I hope these medals were presented on the basis of some sort of reasonable criteria. Hopefully these awards will be what the Nobel prizes used to be before they became a political joke.
You must be new to the politicial scene. If you'd be paying the slightest bit of attention you'd see that lower level positions are routinely given to lower level underlings in almost every administration. This goes for Clinton, Carter, Kennedy (brother for Attorney General anyone), and all the Republicans of the 20th century. What you should realize is that little political games (the Reno Justice department refusing to enforce laws it didn't like for example) are played all the time irrespective of who is currently in the white house. So save your indignation for a noble field, you won't find much to love here.
FTA: Ralph H. Baer, For creating Pong! WOOT!!!!
Laugh all you want but the idea of bringing technology to the masses sometimes makes all the difference. Look at Carl Sagan, the man didn't do much for the progress of science but rather the promotion of science. How many kids do you think were spurred on by Mister Wizard?
The video game may not be meaningful in the long run but it did bring the potential use of technology to the masses and I'll bet a lot of people on Slashdot, in part, owe something to this small step forward.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
So he wasn't lying to us after all at our last departmental meeting.
"The White House is not an intelligence-gathering agency," -- Scott McClellan, Whitehouse spokesman.
+1, Funny
It would be nice if I could filter all articles that contained President Bush's name that were not filed under politics. Not because I'm disinterested, nor because I dislike the man, but because any article that mentions him becomes a nonstop bash-fest for the political trolls that live for such opportunities. I think the poster of this article did so simply to feed the trolls. Well eat up assholes. Oh, and don't bother with moderation, I'll save you the trouble:
-1 Offtopic. except that Bush trolling has become the topic.
-1 Overrated. this couldn't possibly be overrated because not a goddamn one of you slashbots thinks I have a point.
-1 Troll. pot; kettle; black
-1 Redundant. possibly, but since anyone else who's said this has also been modded into oblivion, I'll throw mine out there for a chance at visibility.
Women are like electronics: you don't know how damaged they are until you try to turn them on.
Viewers were momentarily startled by the appearance of flying pigs in the background, apparently rising out of a hole in the ground leading up from a frozen hell.
Soylent Green is peoplicious!
no pioneers in intelligent design?
sulli
RTFJ.
--Robert N. Clayton, The University of Chicago, for his contributions to geochemistry and cosmochemistry that provided insight into the evolution of the solar system.
I believe that's a typo - should read "insight into the intelligent design of the solar system."
Stop-Prism.org: Opt Out of Surveillance
The main problem with the Bush II administration and science is that it has been cherry-picking scientific results to suit its political agendas. They seem to be a bunch of people hell-bent on denying reality even as it is staring them in the face. The true pillar, the true foundation stone of science is the search for truth by observation of the universe. Denying that makes them more anti-science than anything. They're just like a bunch of dishonest scientists who fake experimental data just so they can publish papers that agree with their own hypotheses, no matter that that their hypotheses are totally contradicted by the true experimental data. It is in global warming and evolution that they've decided that their own pet hypotheses (erm... their ideology) must trump all experimental data today, but who's to say they won't do the same for other inconvenient discoveries in the future? The Soviet Union made that same mistake with Lysenkoism in the past, with disastrous results. Looks like you guys are all set up to walk in those same footprints if you really believe that Bush and his troop are not really so anti-science, and/or are too bovinely complacent to care.
Qu'on me donne six lignes écrites de la main du plus honnête homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.
It is nice to see Norman E. Borlaug in this list still. This is the greatest man in the world. He has saved bilions of people through his reserch in creating new breeds of crops. SMILE YOU FUCKS
Mmmmmm. Sciencey.
"No problem. I have the capacity to do infinite work so long as you don't mind that my quality approaches zero."-Dilbert
The name is not hilarious at all, it is downright scary if you append the words that have been left out after "behind": "by military recruiters".
revolutionized organ transplants, led to development of global positioning systems, and helped feed millions around the world
That's something!
Hey! Give the parent some mode points, it's by no means a troll, at worst it's just view that some people disagree with!
Better Military Recruiters than gang recruiters. At least they can go to college when they are out of the military. If they join a gang instead, they'll just end up in a different institution, for a longer term, at the same government expense.
You're forgetting the cost of mental and medical treatment after they get back from whatever war is being fought this week.
I'm not trying to troll. The treatment of veterens costs a lot and lasts the life of the patient. It is certainly important that we support our veterans who have made such sacrifices but it sure would be nice if we didn't need to produce quite so many of them.
Also, I think providing options besides wars in the streets or wars in the desert would serve everyone better.
While I don't approve of the anti-science attitude, I think I can put a spin on it which makes it more understandable.
Science was supposed to make life better. By making things more efficient, it was supposed to make our biggest problem what to do with all of our leasure time. It was supposed to bring an era of plenty for all, and end poverty.
I know, sounds Pollyanna-ish.
But you know, thinking harder about it, I believe all of the Pollyanna stuff I just spouted is possible, and with today's technology. The problem occurred somewhere on the way from the scientists to the marketplace. I suspect that in today's world, there's plenty, and nobody need go without food, shelter, or clothing.
It's a distribution problem. It's also a marketplace problem. I suspect that the most important product in today's market place is - scarcity. Look at post-Katrina... Petrochemical supplies dropped by 10-15%, prices jumped 35%. Make less product, make more money. Look at the whole ??AA and DRM issues. In fact, the "duplication" aspect of publication is rendered effectively obsolete by modern technology. Rather than seeking a way to equitably fund artists and the editorial/promotional aspects of publication, the publication industries have placed their focus on restriction of publication.
We also have super-rich and poor. I'm clearly not one in favor of Communism/Socialism, I like the ability to improve my lot by hard work and self improvement. I don't question that some people earn and have more than others - it's the magnitude of the difference that bothers me, and the fact that the system is being gamed.
So science got filtered on its way to the people. Instead of plenty for all, we have absurd riches for some, and poverty still exists. Instead of more leasure time for workers, we have fewer jobs, and those who have them work more than before.
Unfortunately and unfairly, science gets much of the blame. The problem is really excess greed. Some greed is healthy and motivating. But just like a mature human being knows how much to eat, he/she should understand how much greed is good.
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
2 words... "Compassionate conservative".
"Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny! Free men pull in all sorts of directions" -- Havelock Vetinari
This comes at a time when the No Child Left Behind Act is forcing states to spend a lot more money on testing, teacher training and school improvement to meet the law's mandates.
That's called an unfunded mandate, and it was a common complaint from Republicans in the 90s. It's all part of Bush's plan to kill public education: set impossible goals while choking off funding.
That's like getting an Art Award from the guy who paints the sad clowns in cheap motel rooms.
Norman E. Borlaug is my hero, and he should be yours, too.
There was a great episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! that covered Dr. Borlaug's work. I highly recommend it for a watch, if you have the chance.
From Wikiquote, a quote by Penn Jillette about Norman Borlaug:
I currently have no clever signature witicism to add here.
Bush didn't take office until January of 2001.
"I have as much authority as the pope, I just
don't have as many people who believe it" - George Carlin
Hmm. Yes. Public schools.
So, here's some food for thought -
Public schools spend a lot of money on a very small % of their students. Namely students with disabilities. Since part of the idea of public schools is that they're there for EVERYONE, the school has to pay for things like an aide to follow the student around who has no arm or leg movment. Or special ed teachers for the students who are handicapped. And so on.
Public schools spend a lot of money on these children, because they are trying to educate everyone.
Private schools do not. Private schools will usually just refuse to take these students, because they are not cost effect for private schools, and the (or at least a) goal of the private school is to make money.
So let's see where this leads...
Continuing the trend of choking public schools in favor of the private sector, I predict we'll end up with a bunch of private schools doing quite well for themselves, and anyone with a student with special needs will be left out in the cold, attending whatever stunted mockery of our public education system is left at that point. (Or paying considerably more than everyone else for the priviledge of getting to go to private school.)
Yeah. I'm thinking that's not really where we should go as a country. Replacing "Free education for all" with "Education for most, but you may have to pay money, hope you come from a family that can afford it" seems like kind of a step backwards to me...
Get the federal government out of schools!
Take your money, send it to Washington, have a bunch of
paper pushers get paid, then send what is left back to pay for teachers.
Great plan.
Better to keep the money local, and pay teachers locally and not
paper pushers in D.C.
The Federal Government does not make anything better except the military.
* RFK was not a dropout.
* RFK had fulltime employment prior to taking a high level government appointment.
* RFK did not lie on his resume.
* RFK was a lawyer -- did have expertise in his department, the Department of Justice's field.
* RFK was not an extremist from planet Wacko.
Appointing an anti-Science bigot to a responsible position at NASA is an insulting as it would be as appointing an animal-rights activist to head the Federal meat inspectors. Moreover, these appointments show Bush has no serious understanding of what the USA needs to do to reclaim the lead role in Science.
Carter's cabinet included people he knew, from back in Georgia. Bert Lance was one of his Finance guys. He appointed that colleague of MLK as the Ambassador to the UN. Well, the Ambassador did an okay job. Lance had a credible background, but he turned out to be corrupt. And Carter got rid of him.
A President has the power to chose the nominees. Something like 3,000 positions are his or hers to nominate. He or she has an obligation to nominate competent people. Sure, if the guy who is generally considered the most qualified doesn't agree with his policies he should appoint someone else, who does agree with his policies. But they have to be qualified.
I read what that militant fundamentalist wrote about his actions. He gave his loyalty solely to President Bush and he gave none ot his country. Well, that is wrong. Once you are appointed, you serve the country, not your sponsor. In the end your personal loyalty to your sponsor can't trump the Nation's interest. It did in the case of the NASA kid. Is there any suggestions RFK ever betrayed the country to honor his loyalty to his brother?
(That's what I get for not previewing...)