How the Obama Administration Is Giving a New Push to Science

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Science- How long have this been talked about? There is a lot of talk and no action. The way we are heading by spending, spending and more spending is not getting us anywhere. Look at all the large bonuses that are received and now Obama wants the rich to take care of people....I'm not rich, and neither are my children, but they work hard to make a living, not sit at home hoping someone will take care of them.
I guess I could have save thousands of dollars for their college education. If the American people don't open there eyes and see where we are really headed.... the government will be controlling all of us. First the financial intitutions, next industrial transportation I have never seen a president use Air Force One so much in his "first 100 days", but who really cares, how much that is costing the American people...? Something needs to be done with these big corperation paying the American people back and I hope President Obama follows threw with a payback plan and not let them be kept by being controlled by govenment. Another issue Palosiky is lieing threw here unmoving face. We are making an issue about torutre. I don't believe in torture either, but think back on the rapes and torture our militray men and women have gone threw. Go back to the Vietnam war, but who wants to think about that war. We really screwed that one up. You have to think about whom you are dealing with. These people will do the unthinkable to you.,...I know..we don't want to be like them. Belive me we aren't!! Remember they HATE us. This issue on torure has only to do with political pay back. Remember during Bushes administration (and I didn't agree with him on a lot of thing) Who controlled congress? The answer: The Demecratic Party did. Now lets see if they like to spend money, get there name out there, be on the T.V. every time I turn it on, be the next sexual scandle or really help the American people!! Look pass the big shots on making them happy. They have money that of course will be passed on. If government hadn't spent so much of the American peoples money on a hammer or was that a picture frame.It doesn't matter what it was spent on, but how much. This is big spending, that is a big, big waste. Government needs to get themselves under control too. Think how much we would save if government would double check there piorities

DeDe Swank of TX 9:02PM May 18, 2009

Think about it - it is the scientific advances that gives us better everyday life, from the cars we drive in to the average health we enjoy in our continously longer life-spans.
The Bush era of "leadership" has been possibly the worst 8 years US history - certainly in "recent memory"... This will become increasingly obvious as the mediocre US news-services that did its job so poorly during the Bush-years get some distance to it, and can see what the rest of the world has known for some 6 years or so. On issues such as pollution, science, EPA-mileage(!), politics internationally and domestically, one disaster followed another!
The irony is that leading the way (rather than taking the ostrich approach of "head in the sand") is the best way to generate and re-generate ones national economy.
Clearly the US could have had a viable car-industry, had Bush not reversed the Democrats requirements from Bill Clinton, that autos must on average use a little less each year.
8 years later, science having been put on a back-burner, the "big 3" are crumbling...
Thanks to Bush - who was in the pocket of the oil-industry (even with Middle East friends rather than US interests at heart...) and other Republican conservatives without the ability to be men (and women!) "of vision".
So, finally a man of vision has decided to try and save the US, and Obama naturally realizes that the way forwards includes a sound scientific community. They are neither infallable or indeed the only source of the way forwards, but they are important!
And on a final note: Yes, the worldwide dominant metric system is a much better system than the UK & US used measurements (which even differ on basic things such as 1 gallon and thus parts thereof!!!). And, even this can generate jobs! Paint new road-signs, sell new measurement-cups to the millions of families - and see factories go up and jobs created!
Good luck USA - now with sound moral leadership and good visions for embracing the future productively.

HMK of FL 8:31AM May 18, 2009

It is my understanding that congress made the metric system standard for the USA in 78. (1878, that is) We are still penalizing our scientists with the outdated english system simply because so few actually realize the benefits of this great decimal system.
Some if not most people that are math challenged do not like to handle fractions. Well, hello, the metric system does not use fractions. Everything is decimal.
Apparently, when Pres. Jimmy Carter (an engineer) tried to convert the USA over, the depart of transportation came up with a colossal cost to change over all the road signs. While it is true that eventually the road mileage and speed limit signs need to be changed, it just makes common sense to change over only the new signs. Our Speed-O-Meters are all show both miles and kilometers. We should be able to handle this.
My wife and millions like her do not have to throw away their measuring cups, spoons and cookbooks. Let's assure everyone in this country that the huge benefit to our scientific community is worth the trouble and cost of this changeover.
Basically, this will eliminate the odious task of memorizing conversion factors for all the sciences. This is a huge problem that manifested itself in one of the Mars mission whereby the programmer did not convert to metric and the lander crashed because it was going too fast.
A big tongue-in-cheek benefit is the our fuel prices will be reduced about 70%. Wouldn't be nice to fill up on 67 cents per liter fuel? You'll get over it when the total if printed.
Let's do it!

Al Cordes of TX 5:55PM May 15, 2009

I would proffer that you are speaking of embryonic stem cells, rather that your typo of "enbryonic". At any rate, it is rather interesting that you know so little on the matter yet have such a passionate opinion on the subject. Isn't that like we humans to know absolutely nill on any particular topic, yet have an opinion that is skewed quite tightly?
The term "pluripotent" means that a cell has the ability to multiply into any category of cell type in the body. This does not, in turn, mean that it does...just that it has the ability or capability to. In the case you mentioned, they were not embryonic stem cells that were injected into the boy's brain. The cells were existing fetal stem cells harvested from deceased babies. There is quite a difference in the two. This procedure was also performed in Moscow (the boy was Israeli) where the medical field is quite infantile in its own right. Such a procedure should have never taken place without supportive documented backing.
The other ideas that you mention, such as "There is no way that embryonic stem cell matter reveals whether it will produce a healthy eye or heart valve. It's anonymous matter." are trivial at best. With the blocking of the government on research as it stands, it is highly improbable that such an assertion may be made with any mode of scientific plausibility.
Go back to whatever you do for a living currently and, unless you guide your research more resourcefully and with critical thinking analysis, please stay there. Thank you. :)

Shannon Reising of NC 4:49PM May 15, 2009

Yes, a brilliant scientist with a coveted Nobel Prize in Physics. He is not the only brilliant scientist in the U.S. and sometimes scientist's can be more motivated monetarily than scientifically. Einstein of all people should have won a Nobel Prize in Physics and didn't because of prejudice. Don't let a shiny piece of metal fool you into thinking that Chu has motives other than pure science in his current position. I bet tons on funds will be poured ino the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he was once director, for biofuel research and use of solar energy. I am angry because science is not what it once was when Einstein was at his prime. Using Math and Science to solve real problems was once done not for money, prestige or funding but for the fact that we needed answers to tough questions that used the scientific method and not junk science. I have read nearly 100 articles about global warming, climate change or whatever term these scientist want to call it to make it appealing. But, I think maybe 10-15% are truely scientific and not some pet project used to make a name for oneself or funding to keep a job as a Professor. Don't worry about changing the term global warming to climate change just change the American Association for the Advancement of Science to the American Association for the Advancement of Funding at Tax Payers Expense. As a scientist, I am for funding real science dedicated to solving real defined problems and not pet projects. By the way I can list at least 12 qualified scientists that could do Chu's job without prejudice and bias. Bias should be an area of science in which he is very familiar.

Mad Scientist of AR 11:17AM May 06, 2009

I want Warp Drive and Personal Fusion Power for my Laptop.
A real flying car, not an airplane that you can drive. Perhaps based on Anti Gravity?
And a Jet Pack that can fly a minimum of 120 statute miles.
That's about it.
Oh, and a Robot Body similar to Iron Man.
Thanks for you time.

Dave H. of NC 3:39PM March 28, 2009

Enbryonic Stem Cells are too unstable. They have been researched for years and every human trial has injured the patient. The latest, a child, resulted in tumors growing in the child's brain. Most researchers have discovered that the embryonic stem cell although pluripotent can not be counted upon to restore the part of the anatomy being sought. There is no way that embryonic stem cell matter reveals whether it will produce a healthy eye or heart valve. It's anonymous matter.
I believe that most researchers will not waste time and money on such research for their sponsors because so many successess have been attributed to the use of adult cells and umbiilical stem cells already in those afflicted with Parkinson's, Diabetes, and other such diseases.
I'm all for research of adult and umbilical cord cells. They have proved their worth.

J of CA 5:03PM March 09, 2009

This will speed the process from Lab to Utility.
There are hundreds of amazing developments out there, but without money, they go nowhere.
I am tired of learning about the latest progress, just to be let down because of politics.
George W Bush IS a Neanderthal.
It's amazing that one survived to modern times, no?

Dave of NC 8:02AM March 07, 2009

Yeah to the support of science again. The last administration's attitude toward science can only be described as "Neanderthal" But to characterize this as a Democratic or Obama change in direction is to politicize something that was less party based than personal belief base on the part of the last president. It only leads to more polarization.
Please note that the support to the NIH is largely due to a Republican senator who has been a LONG TIME supporter of the institution--it has only been the last 5 years that he was shut down. Most of the support for other fields supports the agenda of the left wing of the Democratic party, not science per se.
Science is not a party plank for Democrats, but something that all who can reason are supportive of--even those who are also religious and recognize that the two fields are complementary and not in conflict. The polarization of the science/religion debate is a way to discredit both. Not reality. I say this as a member of the Society of Christian Geneticists. Yes, there is room for both.

MontanaMountainWoman of MT 1:37AM February 26, 2009