tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post113880599592526884..comments2024-03-27T19:58:17.387-05:00Comments on Computational Complexity: Science in the UnionLance Fortnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752030912874378610noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1139073730661323502006-02-04T11:22:00.000-06:002006-02-04T11:22:00.000-06:00According to Paul Kruger:http://lettrist.blogspot....According to Paul Kruger:<BR/><BR/>http://lettrist.blogspot.com/2006/02/state-of-delusion.html<BR/><BR/>The US govt. is actually cutting spending on research - at least in some of the domains for which Bush has pledged funding. So maybe it's not a question of 'messing things up' as much as whether what he says can be considered true with probability > 1/2... (sometimes it's even with probability ~ 0, which is kind of useful in its own way I guess).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138898539461355412006-02-02T10:42:00.000-06:002006-02-02T10:42:00.000-06:00*Complaining* about quoting Bush might also be sar...*Complaining* about quoting Bush might also be sarcastic; as it seems that today these kind of complains are becoming more and more banal and tasteless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138887224179518472006-02-02T07:33:00.000-06:002006-02-02T07:33:00.000-06:00Quoting GWB might also be sarcastic. (There might ...Quoting GWB might also be sarcastic. (There might be a confusion on that, too.) :)<BR/><BR/>Though one could hope GWB does at least one thing right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138864701652245132006-02-02T01:18:00.000-06:002006-02-02T01:18:00.000-06:00Given the man's record of messing up everything he...Given the man's record of messing up everything he has touched---from the several businesses his dad bought him to the post-Katrina rebuilding, I almost wish he just didn't think about the subject of science funding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138859874277523422006-02-01T23:57:00.000-06:002006-02-01T23:57:00.000-06:00I am as skeptical about Bush's talk as most people...I am as skeptical about Bush's talk as most people here. However, he seems to be reacting to pressure from science and tech. lobbyists -- which is a good thing. See the NYT article:<BR/><BR/>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/business/02research.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138851114783689532006-02-01T21:31:00.000-06:002006-02-01T21:31:00.000-06:00I just hope he meant the stuff about supporting sc...I just hope he meant the stuff about supporting science "literally", unlike his vows about Mideast oil imports:<BR/><BR/>http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/13767738.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138847368107887142006-02-01T20:29:00.000-06:002006-02-01T20:29:00.000-06:00Let's see...if Bush says he'll decrease science fu...Let's see...if Bush says he'll decrease science funding (or says nothing), that's bad. But if he says he'll increase it, he must have an ulterior motive. And quoting something positive he says (assuming it is positive) is just wrong.<BR/><BR/>I am not a Bush supporter (in fact, I disagree with <EM>almost</EM> everything he does), but given the above it is clear why Bush supporters can feel free to ignore us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138846552401788642006-02-01T20:15:00.000-06:002006-02-01T20:15:00.000-06:00Cutting science funding and then undoing your cuts...Cutting science funding and then undoing your cuts several years later does not a good science funding policy make.Macneil Shonlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16382866616548432101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138843926428487732006-02-01T19:32:00.000-06:002006-02-01T19:32:00.000-06:00I guess Lance still believes that there is a posit...I guess Lance still believes that there is a positive correlation between what this President says and what he does, so that the speech actually contains some information worth relaying. Pfff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138840038851466582006-02-01T18:27:00.000-06:002006-02-01T18:27:00.000-06:00The previous 'I'll double NSF' promise was made al...The previous 'I'll double NSF' promise was made along with loads of other expensive promises before GWB and the congress pissed away the Clinton era surpluses with tax cuts, before 9/11, and before Iraq.<BR/><BR/>The fact that a sizable increase resurfaces as one of a small number of proposals in light of all that (and Katrina), when everyone knows how big the budget hole is, suggests that maybe it is more a real reflection of priorities. <BR/><BR/>Most likely, it seems to be one of the few things that GWB can do politically right now to make people positive about the future, something he is could certainly use given his current approval ratings.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138834189415087832006-02-01T16:49:00.000-06:002006-02-01T16:49:00.000-06:00You don't have to love GWB. I don't. But there's n...You don't have to love GWB. I don't. But there's nothing wrong with quoting him and hoping he keeps his word. This isn't as bad a response as when some anon declared s/he won't read this blog again because Lance uses windows, but go on!<BR/>It's actually interesting.The idea of a nation in general has been so eroded that someone can't quote the president of the US as the president of the US, just as an individual :-).<BR/>Gi.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138826265329258042006-02-01T14:37:00.000-06:002006-02-01T14:37:00.000-06:00Why not quote him? If we've learned anything thes...Why not quote him? If we've learned anything these past six years, it's that W. is as good as his word.<BR/><BR/><BR/>(Since there's been confusion on this point in the past, I should clarify that I am, indeed, being sarcastic.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138817872518547692006-02-01T12:17:00.000-06:002006-02-01T12:17:00.000-06:00A more persuasive analysis: Show me the pony.A more persuasive analysis: <A HREF="http://scienceblogs.com/principles/2006/02/show_me_the_pony_1.php" REL="nofollow">Show me the pony.</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138817389041279342006-02-01T12:09:00.000-06:002006-02-01T12:09:00.000-06:00A few year ago, Bush promised to double NSFfunding...A few year ago, Bush promised to double NSF<BR/>funding. I donot know<BR/>what happened to his promise. Anybody knows?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138816517025106102006-02-01T11:55:00.000-06:002006-02-01T11:55:00.000-06:00"Its little disturbing to see Lance quoting him."W...<I>"Its little disturbing to see Lance quoting him."</I><BR/><BR/>What I find disturbing is what Lance <I>didn't</I> quote:<BR/><BR/>Bush: "Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research: human cloning in all its forms, creating or implanting embryos for experiments, <B>creating human-animal hybrids</B>, and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift from our Creator -- and that gift should never be discarded, devalued or put up for sale."<BR/><BR/>Nice specious, "slippery slope" reasoning there.<BR/><BR/>In the few times that Lance has touched on politics I've found his views on the Bush administration's impact on the scientific community to be quite short-sighted. He usually equates "being good to science" with money and funding.<BR/><BR/>This administration's blatent disregard for scientific inquiry, whether it be fudging/altering numbers on scientific reports to suit their preconceived policies, advocating "Intelligent Design" initiatives or generallying embracing the politics of anti-intellectualism, this Administration is no friend of science. No matter how much they may placate the community with promises of funds, the fact of the matter is this administration has been one of the most hostile to the scientific community in memory.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138814044177145702006-02-01T11:14:00.000-06:002006-02-01T11:14:00.000-06:00"Its little disturbing to see Lance quoting him."I..."Its little disturbing to see Lance quoting him."<BR/><BR/>I think it's a little disturbing that people are "little disturbed" by someone quoting somebody else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138813789510035912006-02-01T11:09:00.000-06:002006-02-01T11:09:00.000-06:00I have to reiterate a point made in an earlier pos...I have to reiterate a point made in an earlier post:<BR/>The most (intelectually) dominant (i.e., from *inside* the academic world) forces that try to delegitimize (exact) sciences come from the other side of the political spectrum (in the form of "post-modernism").Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138811618878166232006-02-01T10:33:00.000-06:002006-02-01T10:33:00.000-06:00What's wrong with quoting him??? Whether you have ...What's wrong with quoting him??? Whether you have respect for him or not is irrelevant. The particular quote has the potential to have an impact on the funding of this community.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138810904395561622006-02-01T10:21:00.000-06:002006-02-01T10:21:00.000-06:00I don't understand this obsession of "leading" the...I don't understand this obsession of "leading" the world. Also lot of people I know have very less/no respect for this man. Its little disturbing to see Lance quoting him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1138808002501109532006-02-01T09:33:00.000-06:002006-02-01T09:33:00.000-06:00Depends on if Bush and his friends think Creation ...Depends on if Bush and his friends think Creation Science is "rigorous enough."<BR/><BR/>And the idea is funny that a Republican is talking about increasing spending, with no mention of decreasing spending anywhere else. Must be an election year.Macneil Shonlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16382866616548432101noreply@blogger.com