Sefora

TheBlackCat · Sep 28, 2006, 04:08 AM

Scientists and Engineers for America launched today. For those who aren't paying much attentioned (which would be pretty much everyone in the US outside of science or engineering fields), scientists are pretty upset with the current administration's treatment of science in general. I am not very political, and I have nothing against the republican or democratic parties per se. But I have trouble staying silent in light of the treatment of science by the Bush administration.

All administrations twist science somewhat to suit their own ideology. All administrations ignore information that doesn't suit their ideology to some degree. All administrations try to hide scientific results that doesn't suit their ideology occasionally. But never in the history of this country has an administration has made these tactics the core of their scientific policy. No administration in US history has rejected science to the degree this one has. Never before has a large, bipartistan group of leading scientists organized to counter a single president purely on its handling of science. Yet over 175 of the country's leading scientists and over 9,000 others have done just that. Many more examples can be found Here. I am not saying that other administrations stay out of science. I am saying none have attempted to manipulate it to such a degree and so systematically. I can't recall ever having another president letting a journalism major drop-out overrule and censor senior scientists at NASA. Yet this happened with this one, and is hardly atypical. The president waited far longer than any president in history to appoint a scientific advisor, waiting until after his scientific policies had already been formulated, slashed the advisor's staff, and demoted him so he would no longer have direct contact with the president.

Unforunately, scientists and engineers tend to avoid getting involved in politics. This has made it very difficult to organize scientists and engineers to defend science in this country. That is what SEFORA is trying to do. They have made a Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers. These are rules that scientists feel are important to the benefit of the country, and in the past had been largely followed by the government as well. It has become clear with the current administration that scientists can no longer count on the government to honor scientific integrity, so it has become necessary to codify these rules:

Here is the press release:

Quote:

Concerned about the ideological and partisan manipulation of science, compromising of scientific integrity and harassment of scientists by the Bush Administration and Congress, leaders in the scientific and engineering communities announced the launch of a new organization on Wednesday, September 27th. The group, called Scientists and Engineers for America, is a 527 political organization that will focus on the need to address the current state of science policy by electing new political leadership.

Over the last several years, scientists have come under political assault and the integrity of science has been compromised. The attacks have ranged from White House rewriting an Environmental Protection Agency report on global warming, to veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, to the promotion of intelligent design to disseminating inaccurate scientific information on federal websites.

Competent government depends on getting best science and technology advice. Scientists and Engineers for America will use web-based tools (www.sefora.org) and lectures around the country to explain why independent scientific advice is essential for national security, energy, the environment, health care, education, and America’s competitiveness. The group proposes a basic Bill of Rights to prevent the politicization of science.

The group will discuss the impact the Bush Administration’s science and technology policies have had in their fields and the need for voters to consider the science and technology policies by candidates in this year’s mid-term elections. The group will also provide details of their activities including launching a speaking tour focusing on a number of this fall’s highly contested campaigns in key states.

And the Bill of Rights

Quote:

Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers

Effective government depends on accurate, honest and timely advice from scientists and engineers. Science demands an open, transparent process of review and access to the best scholars from around the nation and the world. Mistakes dangerous to the nation’s welfare and security have been made when governments prevent scientists from presenting the best evidence and analysis. Americans should demand that all candidates support the following Bill of Rights:

1. Federal policy shall be made using the best available science and analysis both from within the government and from the rest of society.

2. The federal government shall never intentionally publish false or misleading scientific information nor post such material on federal websites.

3. Scientists conducting research or analysis with federal funding shall be free to discuss and publish the results of unclassified research after a reasonable period of review without fear of intimidation or adverse personnel action.

4. Federal employees reporting what they believe to be manipulation of federal research and analysis for political or ideological reasons should be free to bring this information to the attention of the public and shall be protected from intimidation, retribution or adverse personnel action by effective enforcement of Whistle Blower laws.

5. No scientists should fear reprisals or intimidation because of the results of their research.

6. Appointments to federal scientific advisory committees shall be based on the candidate’s scientific qualifications, not political affiliation or ideology.

7. The federal government shall not support any science education program that includes instruction in concepts that are derived from ideology and not science.

8. While scientists may elect to withhold methods or studies that might be misused there shall be no federal prohibition on publication of basic research results. Decisions made about blocking the release of information about specific applied research and technologies for reasons of national security shall be the result of a transparent process. Classification decisions shall be made by trained professionals using a clear set of published criteria and there shall be a clear process for challenging decisions and a process for remedying mistakes and abuses of the classification system.

YAYitsAndrew · Sep 28, 2006, 12:43 PM

Just looks like they're taking another stab at stopping the spread of intelligent design. The problem, still, is that these people are using reason and logic to make their points and that is going to be lost on the masses. Logical thinking tends to produce results that people think are inhuman or harsh.

What we need is a scientist with jazz hands.

TheBlackCat · Sep 28, 2006, 07:27 PM

This isn't just intelligent design. Bush's support for teaching of ID in schools is simply one aspect of a massive anti-science campaign within the administration. His support of ID may be one of the more visible aspects because the Discovery Institute made sure of that, but it is merely a tiny bit of a pervasive problem that simply has not been getting any attention by the press.

Maddogg6 · Sep 28, 2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YAYitsAndrew

Just looks like they're taking another stab at stopping the spread of intelligent design. The problem, still, is that these people are using reason and logic to make their points and that is going to be lost on the masses. Logical thinking tends to produce results that people think are inhuman or harsh.

What we need is a scientist with jazz hands.

google 'Junk Science' - where corp's sway their internal test results to help gain market share or release products labled 'safe' when they dont really know - or worse. Or where they lobby congress and influnce the FDA to accomplish same affects.

THIS is what SEFORA will help fight against. Not just prevent ID theories from proliferating.

TheBlackCat · Sep 28, 2006, 08:22 PM

"junk science" has become such a politicized term, nowadays it more often really means "good science I don't like". Antiscience is a better term.

Maddogg6 · Sep 28, 2006, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlackCat

"junk science" has become such a politicized term, nowadays it more often really means "good science I don't like". Antiscience is a better term.

Well its not all 'good science I dont like' - much has been since proven to have been deceptively influnced by parties involved.

But yes - discredits legit science none the less.

YAYitsAndrew · Sep 28, 2006, 11:34 PM

Hey don't get uppity, I'm for anything that fights ignorance.

TheBlackCat · Sep 29, 2006, 12:22 AM

I am not getting uppitty. You said, "Just looks like they're taking another stab at stopping the spread of intelligent design." I am simply saying that is a very small part of their mission. There are already groups dedicated solely to that, like The National Center for Science Education, and there are countless local and state groups as well as the ACLU, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and even the National Academis of Science getting involved in that battle. There is, however, very little being done to combat the more general anti-science policy of the Bush administration. That is what this groups will hopefully help do. I can understand how you might think it is targetted at ID. That is by far the most visible battle. But it is but a small battle in a much larger war, a war that few people in this country even realize is happening.

TheBlackCat · Oct 4, 2006, 12:36 AM

The Colbert Report spoke about this orgainization yesterday. Watch the video, it is absolutely hilarious.

hyperl1t3 · Oct 20, 2006, 01:40 AM

i heard about this group forming on the news and i was very happy and thinking it's about time. and as far as antiscience junk stuff there also needs to be a revision on the FDA's way of handling drug standards testing. on the short, they're passing drugs that screw the psyche and doctors are getting "commisions" on pushing these. doctors are the new drug pushers. sad.
sorry bout the sidetrack.

TheBlackCat · Oct 20, 2006, 03:48 AM

I think the bigger problem is bogus medication like homeopathic "remedies" and potentially dangerous ones like herbal "remedies", both of which are specifically exempted from regulation by the FDA and there have been moves to even exempt them from false advertising rules (which right now is really the only way to go after them).

hyperl1t3 · Oct 20, 2006, 06:42 AM

on that note bush just legalized ayucasha (sp) a hallucinagenic but poisonous psycedellic in varying doses. http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ayah...yahuasca.shtml
reason why it was legalized: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-...ascacase.shtml

so they can legalize religous drugs but immediatly ban all the ones with scientifically proven psycological health benifits.

TheBlackCat · Nov 2, 2006, 05:44 AM

SEFORA has a commercial contest out. Commercials for the organization are appearing on YouTube, and the best will be selected. Here are the ones so far:
1
2
3

Sep 28, 2006, 12:43 PM	#2
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	Just looks like they're taking another stab at stopping the spread of intelligent design. The problem, still, is that these people are using reason and logic to make their points and that is going to be lost on the masses. Logical thinking tends to produce results that people think are inhuman or harsh. What we need is a scientist with jazz hands. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Sep 28, 2006, 07:27 PM	Thread Starter #3
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	This isn't just intelligent design. Bush's support for teaching of ID in schools is simply one aspect of a massive anti-science campaign within the administration. His support of ID may be one of the more visible aspects because the Discovery Institute made sure of that, but it is merely a tiny bit of a pervasive problem that simply has not been getting any attention by the press. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Sep 28, 2006, 08:22 PM	Thread Starter #5
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	"junk science" has become such a politicized term, nowadays it more often really means "good science I don't like". Antiscience is a better term. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Sep 28, 2006, 11:34 PM	#7
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	Hey don't get uppity, I'm for anything that fights ignorance. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Sep 29, 2006, 12:22 AM	Thread Starter #8
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	I am not getting uppitty. You said, "Just looks like they're taking another stab at stopping the spread of intelligent design." I am simply saying that is a very small part of their mission. There are already groups dedicated solely to that, like The National Center for Science Education, and there are countless local and state groups as well as the ACLU, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and even the National Academis of Science getting involved in that battle. There is, however, very little being done to combat the more general anti-science policy of the Bush administration. That is what this groups will hopefully help do. I can understand how you might think it is targetted at ID. That is by far the most visible battle. But it is but a small battle in a much larger war, a war that few people in this country even realize is happening. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Oct 4, 2006, 12:36 AM	Thread Starter #9
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	The Colbert Report spoke about this orgainization yesterday. Watch the video, it is absolutely hilarious. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Oct 20, 2006, 01:40 AM	#10
hyperl1t3 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 28 Rep Power: 0	i heard about this group forming on the news and i was very happy and thinking it's about time. and as far as antiscience junk stuff there also needs to be a revision on the FDA's way of handling drug standards testing. on the short, they're passing drugs that screw the psyche and doctors are getting "commisions" on pushing these. doctors are the new drug pushers. sad. sorry bout the sidetrack.

Oct 20, 2006, 03:48 AM	Thread Starter #11
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	I think the bigger problem is bogus medication like homeopathic "remedies" and potentially dangerous ones like herbal "remedies", both of which are specifically exempted from regulation by the FDA and there have been moves to even exempt them from false advertising rules (which right now is really the only way to go after them). __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Oct 20, 2006, 06:42 AM	#12
hyperl1t3 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 28 Rep Power: 0	on that note bush just legalized ayucasha (sp) a hallucinagenic but poisonous psycedellic in varying doses. http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ayah...yahuasca.shtml reason why it was legalized: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-...ascacase.shtml so they can legalize religous drugs but immediatly ban all the ones with scientifically proven psycological health benifits.

Nov 2, 2006, 05:44 AM	Thread Starter #13
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	SEFORA has a commercial contest out. Commercials for the organization are appearing on YouTube, and the best will be selected. Here are the ones so far: 1 2 3 __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken