Chilling: Under scrutiny from NOAA, researchers retreated to their labs to finish their analysis

[Are_grits_groceries]

"Under scrutiny from NOAA, the researchers have retreated to their laboratories to finish their analysis."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/science/earth/20noaa.html?hp

This one sentence is one of the scariest I have read during this whole gusher mishegas. How in the hell do they hope to even begin to understand the dimensions of this disaster without the help of people who have vast experience in ocean reasearch?

If they retreat to their labs because of government harassment, will they ever come out for fear of even harsher reprisal than words? If the government only wants info from BP or scientists they can control, they better remember GIGO. In this case it might be IIGO - "Info in. Garbage out."

This is beyond the pale and indefensible. It is also destructive in many ways. I would expect this from Sarah Palin and other 'want to know nothings' but not this administration. I am beyond surprised and baffled.