On 27 Oct 2008 at 13:09, Dr. Bob Wildblood wrote: > This is the reason I used to get so ticked off about the "Golden > Fleece Awards" of Sen. Proxmire.
This is exactly what Palin's and McCain's ridicule of scientific projects reminded me of when I posted my note. No contest, ear-marks are a bad, bad way for scientific studies (e.g. on fruit flies) or equipment (e.g. a planetarium) to be funded, because they replace merit and the judgement of experts with favouritism and influence. But the Proxmire trick of finding funny-sounding studies and exposing them to ridicule (used up here in Canada as well as in the Benighted States) doesn't attack this appalling method of funding. It merely passes ignorant judgement on research on the basis of the alleged humour of the title, thereby mocking many studies which don't deserve it. Studies on sexual behaviour are always tops on the list for such ridicule. And fruit fly research was a staggeringly inappropriate choice by Palin (indeed, quite possibly the Dumbest Thing Sarah Palin Has Ever Said (see http://tinyurl.com/6apncy). Aside from the blogs we've seen defending current fruit fly research, I recall that modern genetics, which is transforming our world, had its start in research on this lowly insect, and was absolutely crucial to its development. Not only does the fruit fly have excellent quantifiable characteristics (e.g. wings, eye colour), and multiplies across generations at an astonishing rate (ask any banana sitting for too long on your counter in summer), but its enormous chromosomes allowed researchers to study their action directly for the first time despite primitive methods of visualization. Modern genetics owes a lot to fruit fly research. Yet, ironically, accuracy requires that we acknowledge that the legendary fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) which played a starring role in the development of genetics and doesn't deserve its Palinesque sneer, was actually not a fruit fly at all but something else (http://tinyurl.com/6z5jzb ). Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Subscribe to discussion list (TIPS) for the teaching of psychology at http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/tips/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
