by the Way . . .

Top political appointees at NASA are operating well within established precedent in suppressing news on glaciers, climate, air polution, and other earth sciences. In 2004 the NASA archives show nearly 50 news releases regarding scientific findings that run contrary to administration policy. There has been much progress in 2005, as there are only about 12 examples of blasphemy. Religious authorities, in this case the Bush administration, have always had to be careful about the release of scientific findings that conflict with established beliefs or policies, particularly if the findings run the risk of upsetting the hoi polloi. Now-a-days a lot of them vote, but even in Galileo's time letting out too much information could be dangerous. Remember when Leo was insisting that the planets moved, threatening to turn everyone into atheists? See the November 14, 2005 post.

All the complaining now is just an example of how, if you let up even a little, the underlings get out of control. The new administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Michael D. Griffin, just two weeks ago called for "scientific openness" at the agency and the response? Researchers and public affairs workers are openly complaining about how political appointees have altered or suppressed news releases on scientific findings. Well, not openly exactly, as they say they are afraid of losing their jobs if they give their names.

You know what kind of stuff these scientists are trying to put out about global warming. The ice cap melting, polar bears dying, New York, Washington DC and Boston inundated by rising sea levels, all of that. When you hear things like that you can become very upset about the polar bears. That is why releases have to use the term "climate change". An email message from NASA headquarters in July prohibited the use of the term "global warming" in a presentation. "It is standard practice to use the phrase "climate change" the email said.

The administration has a strong scientific basis for its efforts: (Ecclesiastes 1:9-14 NIV) What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. {10} Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. So when you get down to it, who needs all this upset?

When the authorities were discussing a possible revision with Galileo, they brought out instruments of torture, just to kind of show Leo how they worked. At least today we do not condone torture, so in some important ways there has been progress.