Bush v. Science (he is speaking rapturously .....

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/02/06/BL2006020600817_pf.html

Bush v. Science

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Monday, February 6, 2006; 1:10 PM

President Bush is talking a lot about science these days. He just doesn't have much interest in listening to scientists.

Peter Baker writes in The Washington Post: "Finally there may be an answer to the question of why President Bush spends so much time clearing brush at his Texas ranch.

"Maybe he's collecting it to fuel his next truck. . . .

"The president's fascination with the gee-whiz breakthroughs of modern science may not be new, but it has certainly been more evident in the days since he made unleashing the power of research and innovation a central element of his State of the Union address."

But Bush's relationship to science can be illustrated by the fact that of producing ethanhe is speaking rapturously ol from (of all things) switch grass -- but not saying a word about what many scientists say may be the greatest disaster facing humankind: global climate change..........

[Angry Girl]

1. 90% of all the worlds scientists will be living in Asia by 2010

that is, if present trends continue, says Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley. This is from a Dec 2005 Reader's Digest article. (I loathe RD but I try to read bits of everything from everywhere.)

The article also said that scientists and engineers make up less than 5% of the U.S. population but generate 50% of the GDP.

Less than 6% of high school seniors plan to pursue engineering, down from 36% a decade ago.

In 2000 56% of China's undergrads were in the hard sciences. In the U.S. the figure was 17%.

Grad school applications from China dropped 45% last year and India 28%. Why? Because all the world class scientists are now teaching and conducting research in China and India instead.

And in the meantime, we have Amerikans who would actually teach creationism over evolution.... *sob*

[adnelson60087]

3. As a high school science teacher

I can confirm your findings about the very small number of people pursuing a science/technology degree. The tragic thing is that most of them say they want to pursue "business" as a career. I then ask them what they intend to sell without scientists cranking out the technology for them. They have no idea and don't seem to understand the US's dependence on science and technology. I firmly blame the fact that many kids today are afraid of intellectual work (science is just too hard, I hear it often) and many are turned off to science by their religious faith, which often demonizes modern science. I have had kids complain about science that "we should just accept the mysterys of nature, and not try to explain it all". I fear for the long-term viability of our nation, though I won't give up.

[Lisa]

2. making biofuels out of brush!

Priceless! That's the best explanation for his cedar-cutting fetish I've heard yet. I knew there had to be oil in it somewhere!