Feds cut climate research to save fuel

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

They haven't rechristened a ship the Irony, but federal researchers are canceling and cutting back on voyages aimed at studying climate change and ocean ecosystems so they can save money on boat fuel.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has scrapped at least four trips nationwide and is shortening others "because of the increase in petroleum prices," chief spokesman Anson Franklin said Wednesday.

... In a June 10 e-mail to NOAA field offices and others, portions of which were obtained by The Associated Press, NOAA warned of an "approximate" $1.7 million budget shortfall due to fuel costs, and noted the agency has proposed cutting 231 ocean research days for the year.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/06/18/national/a125444D08.DTL&tsp=1

[phantom power]

1. Heh.

[Ian David]

2. That'll teach NOAA not to keep warning about things like levees and "cities in a bowl." n/t

[lutefisk]

3. The government spends that much in Iraq every 7 minutes..

About 1.7 million every 7 minutes. To rub salt in the wound, the increase in fuel cost is largely because of the Iraq invasion and occupation.

And this is just one example of how the Bush-Cheney administration has redistributed this nation's resources.

[Speck Tater]

4. This is how civilization collapses. One small increment at a time.

First it's cut back on research spending.
Then it's cut back on infrastructure repairs.
Then when a bridge collapses there won't be enough money to repair it so they'll need a ferry across the river.
Then when they can't afford to repair paved roads, they'll let them revert to dirt roads.
Then when the power goes out in some small town in Tennessee, they won't have the money to repair the substation, so that town will never have electricity again.

Bit by bit, "modern civilization" simply fades into history.

[jwirr]

5. And in all of it the disaster capitalist will find a profit at the expense of

the victims.

[Merlot]

6. Reminds me of those yahoos who complain about Gore traveleing the world

to deliver his lecture on global warming.

Knowledge: Bad

Saving fuel to avoid the truth: Good.

[4_TN_TITANS]

7. The irony - you can't make this stuff up. n/t