Mathematics, Media Criticism, Philosophy, Political Commentary, Science And Society

Climate Scientists

May 24, 2014 Rand Simberg 3 Comments

Are they being forced to toe the line? Sure looks like it:

I have heard that a number of leading scientists are pretty disgusted with the way Bengtsson has been treated and see the larger issues of concern about the social psychology of our field. People are talking about writing blog posts for professional societies, trying to get signatures on a statement, etc. I hope that these individuals follow through, and that the ‘climate’ for climate research can improve.

This is a very welcome change from the 2009 reactions to Climategate, which reflected most silence, but solidarity with the climate scientists whose emails were made public.

With regards to Pielke Jr’s statement: “anyone who wishes to participate in the public debate on climate change should do so knowing how the politics are played today — dirty, nasty, destructive.” I agree with this statement. As someone participating in the in public debate on climate change, I certainly expect barbs from the media and advocacy groups. What concerns me greatly is other scientists behaving in a dirty, nasty and destructive way, in other words, playing dirty politics with their science.

Can climate scientists please stop the intimidation, bullying, shunning and character assassination of other scientists who they find ‘not helpful’ to their cause? Can we please return to logical refutation of arguments that you disagree with, spiced with a healthy acknowledgement of uncertainties and what we simply don’t know and can’t predict?

Probably not. Not until they suffer some truly adverse consequences for it.

History, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

What To Do About The VA Scandal

May 24, 2014 Rand Simberg 11 Comments

Resign:

I wrote in passing yesterday that if President Obama or the people of this country had any self-respect, he’d resign over the scandal of the Veterans Affairs hospitals, which needlessly sentenced an unknown number of American veterans to death through their combination of managerial incompetence, medical malpractice, and monstrously cruel indifference to their clients. Other heads of government have resigned for less. President Obama presented himself to the public as an authority in the field of health-care management and as an executive who not only would insist upon but also would in fact achieve the highest standards in transparent, honest, competent government. He has failed, comprehensively. An honest man acknowledges his failures.

We know from years of experience now that the president is the very antithesis of an honest man. And in his own self delusion, he considers himself indispensable.

[Update a couple minutes later]

The failure of socialized medicine:

Many have wondered about Barack Obama’s prolonged silence concerning the disastrous situation at the Veterans Administration hospitals and then his odd detached demeanor (well, maybe not that odd for him) when he finally did discuss it at a press conference.

The answer is simple. His lifetime dream of a free public (single payer) healthcare system for all just disintegrated in front of him. Forget the wildly ambitious and pervasive “Affordable Care Act,” the government couldn’t even handle the health of our wounded servicemen, acknowledged for years to be by far the group most deserving of medical attention in our country. With veterans dying while waiting lists are falsified, it’s hard to see government healthcare as anything but incompetent, disgraceful and quite possibly criminal.

Government has failed utterly. Does anyone have any doubt that Halliburton or even the dreaded Koch brothers could have better handled the health of our wounded warriors? Probably almost any business would have. There at least would have been some accountability. (It’s interesting to see the quaint Bernie Sanders, the one self-described socialist in the Congress, as opposed to the closeted ones, being the most outspoken defender of VA malfeasance and urging us not to “rush to judgement” on a three page bill.)

But it’s not just healthcare, although it’s certainly prominent, important and symbolic. The Obama administration has been the best advertisement for libertarianism across the board in recent memory.

Well, we’ll see what happens this fall.

General Science, Technology and Society

Salmon And Grizzlies

May 23, 2014 Rand Simberg 2 Comments

A livecam from Katmai National Park.

Business, Economics, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

Purchasers Of GM Shares

May 23, 2014 Rand Simberg 1 Comment

Did the Obama administration defraud them?

Sure looks like it to me, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

General Science, Mathematics, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Science And Society, Technology and Society

Climate Modeling

May 23, 2014 Rand Simberg 49 Comments

How simple is simple?

I don’t know, but it’s pretty clear that the models are oversimplifying, and the models are useless as a basis for public policy.

Political Commentary

John Conyers

May 23, 2014 Rand Simberg 9 Comments

…has lost his appeal to get on the ballot.

My schadenfreude runneth over. He will not be missed.

[Afternoon update]

Another judge just ruled that the law doesn’t apply to antique corrupt Democrats. We’ll see if the defendants appeal and how fast it happens.

Business, Economics, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Space

The Gloves Are Off

May 23, 2014 Rand Simberg 40 Comments

Elon is accusing ULA of bribing an Air Force general with a job, in return for the no-bid contract.

He’s probably right, but those things are always hard to prove.

Meanwhile, Paul Brinkmann at the Orlando Sentinel seems to mistakenly believe that the new engine development has something to do with NASA and SLS.

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Space, War Commentary

Shaming Congress

May 22, 2014 Rand Simberg 25 Comments

As I was just tweeting, you know what would be pretty funny? If the other ISS partners weighed in on the Russian thing.

Can you imagine the embarrassment if Canada and ESA said, “Hey, maybe NASA and Congress are afraid to fly without an abort system on the Dragon, but we think that having assured access to ISS is pretty important, even if there’s a risk to crew. Our astronauts are willing to chance it, to stick it to Rogozin. That’s what they signed up for.” I’d love to see the French tell us to stop being such merde du poulet.

Transterrestrial Musings