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 YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK - AND QUALITY WORK IT IS!
Typically, esoteric scientific research gets mocked and vilified - especially on Late Night TV venues, such as "The Tonight Show". Unfortunately, this is symptomatic of the general public's declining educational level in the sciences, specifically, and the scientific method in general. And, let's face it, investigation into the mating habits of nematodes during the full moon is an easy, huge target for late night comedians.
Here are some reports regarding Dr. Margaret Palmer at the University of Maryland leading a multi-institutional study of Mountaintop Removal and Valley Filling mining methodology. There is absolutely no way this work can be mocked. It is unequivocal and unambiguous in its findings. So much so, that the editorial board at the journal Science, converted the scientific study into a Public Policy Forum.
This happens rarely in this journal produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). More routinely, this journal publishes results of scientific studies period, end of story (or study).....allowing analysis, repetition of the study by other scientists for validation, and political/public policy implications to be done elsewhere.
This work was also reported on cable TV (unmockingly) by Rachel Maddow on the "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC who, unlike commentators at Fox News, has the intellectual capacity and curiosity to appreciate the significance of this work.
Dr. Margaret Palmer of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and University of Maryland, College Park - LEAD AUTHOR
Scientists Call for Moratorium on Issuance of Mountaintop Mining Permits
ScienceDaily (Jan. 8, 2010) — Based on a comprehensive analysis of the latest scientific findings and new data, a group of the nation's leading environmental scientists are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to stay all new mountaintop mining permits. In the January 8 issue of the journal Science, they argue that peer-reviewed research unequivocally documents irreversible environmental impacts from this form of mining which also exposes local residents to a higher risk of serious health problems.
Read a Digested version of the study here from Science Daily
-- Open the University of Maryland Web Report here
This link will take you directly to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) journal "Science" : "Science" summary of Dr. Margaret Palmer's group work .
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It's great to see that people are thinking about this topic!
Time and time again I've heard this same tired old plea that in order to affect actual positive change it is only feasible to work from within the Democratic Party and time and time again I've sat back to watch the Democratic Party establishment betray the actual progressive elements within their party. We don't need a "third party" we need a second party. Democrats wear different make-up but receive the same corporate funding as the Republicans and as a political party, the Democrats ceased being "for the people" a very long time ago. So the sooner that particular myth is relegated to the scrap heap of history, the better. And another outrageous myth that needs to be debunked is the myth of a "liberal" media bias in the United States. The ruling class use corporate media to maintain the false dichotomy of "difference" and "choice" within the United States political structure when in fact, in terms of large issues of potential affect to this ruling class Americans have to choice. It's nothing but a "smoke and mirrors" deception.