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2020-04-27 Science & Technology

- In Progress - About Grants like the Wuhan one.

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Posted by 3dc 2020-04-27 06:23|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 Now as to the grants/monies themselves. Government agencies are required to spend %2 to %4 (depending on agency) of their budget on these research grants.

Many years ago I was involved in a Defense Intelligence Agency contract involving novel approaches to the systems manipulation of massive data. As I leaned into the actual software development, I discovered that the technology already existed and was in very wide use. I did myself no favors by updating managers and decision makers on the already existing technology. I was unaware of 'grant wagons' at the time. The entire exercise and academic connections soon become rather obvious.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-04-27 07:10|| 2020-04-27 07:10|| Front Page Top

#2 Eisenhower's warning, the one they skip after trashing the "military industrial complex" -

Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.

In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.

The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite.

Posted by Procopius2k 2020-04-27 07:27|| 2020-04-27 07:27|| Front Page Top

#3 Ike called it!

Posted by Clem 2020-04-27 07:55|| 2020-04-27 07:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Fauci signed off on it. That's on the record in ways twitter, gurgle and youtube can't hide.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-04-27 08:38|| 2020-04-27 08:38|| Front Page Top

#5 a PI with a good connection to the Wuhan lab could make his money go much much further or pay himself a lot more.

I'm going out on a limb here and saying option B

Posted by Bob Grorong1136 2020-04-27 08:41|| 2020-04-27 08:41|| Front Page Top

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