UMD Science Building Damaged by Vandals

[Zookeeper]

"The U of M Duluth offered a $20,000 reward Monday for help in catching those responsible for more than $1 million in damage over the weekend to a much-heralded science building under construction on the campus.

Sometime between Friday and Monday, someone plugged drains on the..third floor and left water running, causing extensive damage to three floors of one of the building's two wings....The vandals also broke windows, sprayed fire extinguishers and did other damage in the 89,000 sq. ft. building, apparently using construction tools left on the work site...The $33 million building...promises to give the university state-of-the-art facilities for students, teachers and researchers in the fields of biology and chemistry."

<snip>

"UMD officials said they didn't know if the damage bore any connection to extensive damage discovered Sunday at research laboratories at the University of Iowa. In that case, vandals dumped chemicals, damaged computers and freed research animals."

<snip>

"...research projects underway at UMD and planned for the new building don't make extensive use of laboratory animals and probably wouldn't be a prime target of animal-rights activists."

www.startribune.com/metro

So, I found this article this morning, after reading an article in the NY Review of Books about a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The report is called "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking: An Investigation into the Bush Administration's Misuse of Science." The timing reinforced my concern that we are fighting the forces of a new Dark Ages.

Although, I am not a scientist, I am becoming increasingly worried about the total disrespect of fact, science and logic shown by BushCo, the Right-Wing and Talibornigans. Is anyone else seeing a threat or am I just being paranoid?

I hope this isn't too political for this forum... :hi:

[Maple]

1. You'll likely see a lot more of this

It wouldn't be the first time in history people have burned books...and scholars...and halted knowledge and progress.

I had hoped we'd seen the last of it though.

Apparently not.

[ingasm]

2. Both Sides

You've got to keep in mind both sides have their extremists. But I agree, its like the pro-life extremists who bomb abortion clinics. Just don't make sense.

[CAcyclist]

3. I would still suspect animal rights terrorists, tho

even if there weren't plans for doing animal research in that facility , the animal rights extremists don't always pick their targets carefully.