[BOBPARKS-WHATSNEW] What's New Friday July 8, 2005

WHAT’S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 8 Jul 05    Washington, DC

1. POLITICAL SCIENCE: IS THE CONGRESSMAN DOING CLIMATE STUDIES?  Who among
us has not engaged in disputes over research findings? Disagreements
between researchers are a normal part of the scientific process.  The
success and credibility of science is anchored in the willingness of
scientists to make their data and methods available to other scientists for
independent testing.  Openness is a sacred obligation.  However, three
scientists, who have had their share of such disputes, recently received
letters from Representative Joe Barton (R-TX), chairman of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee, demanding complete records, going back 10 years, of
their paleoclimate work, including computer codes and a list of all studies
on which they were authors and the source of funding – by next Monday.
Their climate studies, which support global warming, figured prominently in
the 2001 report of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  It
seems unlikely that Rep Barton plans to repeat their studies; his record of
support for environmental legislation is 0%.  Barton is, however, among the
top recipients of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, and
the aggressive tone of his letters sounds to most scientists like an effort
to intimidate.

2. WHAT’S IN A NAME?  A SUGGESTED PUBLIC NAME CHANGE FOR APS.   When APS
first opened a tiny Washington Office in 1984, it said “American Physical
Society” on the door.  I ran into a lawyer who had an office on the same
floor, “You’re the Physical Society guy aren’t you?  I’d like to come by
and talk to you; I need to lose about 20 pounds.”  I stepped back and
looked him over, “closer to 40 I’d say.”  In any case, our name causes
confusion.  It would have been better if it had been done 100 years ago,
but it’s not going to get any easier, so the Executive Board voted
unanimously to poll the membership changing the public name of the society
to American Physics Society.  So far, about 75% favor the change.

3. IDENTITY THEFT: HIDING FROM THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. The 1966
Freedom of Information Act was a tribute to the self-confidence of our
nation.  No other nation has anything like it. But agencies hate it, and
keep finding new loopholes that have to be plugged,
http://www.bobpark.org/WN94/wn090294.html.  Last week, the Federation of
American Scientists filed a lawsuit charging that the National
Reconnaissance Office has been hiding unclassified budget records by
invoking the “operational files” exemption.  “Operational files” refers to
records that document how foreign intelligence is collected, which these
files aren’t.

4. CATHOLICS TOO!  ARCHBISHOP FINDS A LITTLE INTELLIGENT DESIGN.  In
yesterday’s New York Times, Cardinal Schoenborn, editor of the official
Catechism, rejected John Paul II’s supposed acceptance of neo-Darwinism
when he said evolution was “more than just a hypothesis.”  Schoeborn goes
on to quote Pope Benedict XVI, “We are not some casual and meaningless
product of evolution.”  Well,  that’s it, if we believe in science we’re on
our own.  On the other hand, the Church’s position is evolving.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
---
Archives of What's New can be found at http://www.bobpark.org
What's New is moving to a different listserver and our
subscription process has changed. To change your subscription
status please visit this link:
http://listserv.umd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=bobparks-whatsnew&A;=1