What'sNew by Robert Park Friday 26 Nov 2010

WHAT=92S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 26 Nov 2010   Washington, DC=09

1. BUDGET:  CAN MAJOR DAMAGE TO SCIENCE BE AVERTED?=20
The public made it clear in the recent election that they want the econom=
y=20
fixed and the federal budget balanced.   An editorial in today=92s Scienc=
e=20
magazine by Alan Leshner, AAAS CEO, predicts science funding will be cut =
5=20
to 10%, maybe more. What would that mean for science? We all know of=20
existing programs that ought to be completely eliminated, but they won't=20
be. The cuts will fall disproportionately on new programs =96 including t=
he=20
scie no nce America needs to stay competitive.  China and North Korea won=
=92t=20
be cutting science.  Leshner reminds us that the case for research was la=
id=20
out extremely well in two reports by the U.S. National Academies: Rising=20
Above the Gathering Storm, www.bobpark.org/WN08/wn050908.html, and its=20
recent update, Rapidly Approaching Category 5. It's up to us to convey th=
at=20
message to the public, and enlist the public=92s help in reaching Congres=
s.=20

2. EARMARKS: THE SHORT HAPPY LIFE OF THE REPUBLICAN BAN.
Earmarking is almost as old as Congress and was a principal means of=20
funding sewers and other water projects. Earmarks are not debated or vote=
d=20
on. Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) was one of the most vocal Republican critics of=20
the practice of earmarking. Three days after Republicans, including Kyl,=20
voted for a ban on the practice, Kyl slipped a $200 million settlement fo=
r=20
Arizona Indian water rights claims into an unrelated bill. =20

3. PORK BARREL: WHEN EARMARKS WERE USED TO FUND SCIENCE.=20
Often referred to as "pork-barrel funding," a Washington lobbying firm=20
specialized in obtaining large earmarks for federal scientific research=20
grants to specific universities in the decade from 1984 to 1994. The work=
=20
often failed to measure up to the standards of the funding agencies, and=20
the money was often diverted to other uses, seriously undermining the=20
stature of federal research awards. The APS was the first science=20
organization to expose the earmarking practice and continued to expose=20
science earmarks in more than 30 issues of WN from 1984 to 1994. =20
Earmarking did not end, but moved back to the sewers from whence it=20
emerged.=20

4. FAITH: LIFE IN A MULTICULTURAL DEMOCRACY.
I have a number of devoutly religious physics colleagues who are able to=20
partition their life: scientist on one side, devout believer on the other=
. =20
I can only admire the ease with which they move from one side of the=20
partition to the other.  With climate change as the greatest threat we=20
face, we may only hope that Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), a member of the=20
House Committee on Energy and Commerce since 1997, has such a partition a=
nd=20
equal alacrity in making the transition.  He submitted a letter to his=20
colleagues earlier this week asking for their blessing in his campaign to=
=20
assume the gavel of Energy when Republicans take control of the chamber.=20
Shimkus rejects the posibility of man-made climate disaster. "The Earth=20
will end only when God declares it=92s time to be over. Man will not dest=
roy=20
this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a Flood,"  Shimkus then=20
quoted God's promise to Noah after the flood. "never again will I destroy=
=20
all living creatures as I have done."  Genesis 8:21-22.  "I do believe th=
at=20
God=92s word is infallible," Shimkus said, "unchanging, perfect."

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
---
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