Very revealing article in today's Wasington Times regarding the CDC latest obesity 'study':
http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20050227-095255-6321r.htmCDC isn't immune to the modern scientist's disease: Scientific conclusions should serve the over-riding modern scientific priority - they should generate an avenue for more research money or at least serve a political agenda that might also generate more money for these 'scientists'.
HHS, Dep. of Ag., US Forestry Service, CDC, NIH, FDA, EPA, and the plethora of 'private' scientists no longer give a crap about the search for scientific truth, it's all about the money and truth be damned if it is counter to the money channel. Newspapers over the last 20 years are FULL of stories of scientific fraud, slanted methodologies, political agendas, and one-sided 'truths'. Funny how almost ALL of these stories serve the liberal/Democrat agenda...
The researcher lies, fraud, and circus of methodoligical scams have recently found a new poster child, obesity. An issue that Democrat lawyers and big-government fans are trying hard to turn into a mandate for government run healthcare and a lucrative channel for class-action lawsuits. Nanny-state fans LOVE this issue, the fact that consumer choice is the cause, not fast food restaurants, is conveniently dismissed as 'big-business propaganda'.
But the scientific issues being corrupted by faux scientists are everywhere: Global warming is their king right now. The GW crowd would love to see properous, productive nations hamstrung by Kyoto and even more ridiculously anti-business laws and regulations. It has nothing to do with pollution or long-term planetary health - GW scammers know the science is WAY against them on that score. GW is a transparent grab for research dollars and a socialistic world order. GW gets traction because the entire world would like to see the US economic machine stunted and misfiring under a travesty like Kyoto, more opportunity for them to take the US's markets.
Some other issues that have seen widespread scientific fraud over the last 20 years, including some going on even today are: ALAR (on apples - EPA fraud), Endangered Species (Forestry Service, EPA fraud), DDT (EPA fraud), Bio-Engineered foods (privately-funded and Dept./Ag. scientific fraud), Breast Implants (FDA and privately funded fraud), and on and on.
I don't even mention the fraud and mismanagement going on in the drug industry - why would we have 6 different new medications (most of them unsafe but pushed through the regulatory channels through fraud and incompetence on FDA's fault) for fighting depression but no cure for cancer, AIDS, Herpes, etc? A myriad of new drugs for combating obesity, coincidentally coming to the market during this latest anti-obesity campaign, but no cure for even a common cold? Could it be that treating (but NOT curing) these diseases is too profitable for the drug companies and doctors involved? Where does the BILLIONS in funding and donations for these cures go?
How much do you want to bet that the donation you made to the American Cancer Society, once they get finished skimming 70% of it for 'administrative costs', goes right into Merck's anti-depressant, or hair regrowth research projects?
I'd like to see legislation that enforces the idea that money allocated for specific cures goes to those cures without fail, and that cures/solutions to these terrible diseases are not suppressed, side-tracked, or priortized lower. Laws that enforce tracking/accountability of research money will in turn force drug companies, government agencies, and private researchers to address the issues that Americans want addressed, rather than whatever happens to be deemed most profitable or self-serving at the time for those with a vested interest in their 'faux findings'.
Scientists who refuse to have their work scrutinized by their peers, or who insist that their conclusions should stand in the face of evidence of scientific fraud or poor methodologies are not scientists, they are fund raisers.
Adios MF,
Doug