This is ludicrous, the official reasoning was basically just "better safe than sorry"? This is akin to saying that there is no scientific, valid reasoning behind this. They've casted such a wide...
For 17 projects, that rationale included the phrase “suspended out of an abundance of caution.” One such study involves examining protective antibodies to two deadly viruses, but the work does not involve the actual pathogens, raising questions about why the work sparked GOF concerns.
This is ludicrous, the official reasoning was basically just "better safe than sorry"? This is akin to saying that there is no scientific, valid reasoning behind this.
They've casted such a wide net that they're applying the same conditions to low-risk experiments and novel, higher risk research. Add a "no appeals" approach to this, and this is a serious hindrance to pathological research as a whole.
All I can think of when reading this is that this is by no means a technical decision, and was made on a shaky political basis. All that remains is figuring out what political motivations lie behind this.
The political motivation behind this is that part of the MAGA wing's anti-vax stuff was spearing Fauci for "sponsoring gain of function" research, the implication being that this research was what...
The political motivation behind this is that part of the MAGA wing's anti-vax stuff was spearing Fauci for "sponsoring gain of function" research, the implication being that this research was what caused covid in the first place. Especially given that those people are currently being kinda shaken by the fact the Epstein stuff was in fact, not released, this is probably an easy sacrifice to the altar of the death cult that's currently in control of the US. Sad times.
I think all Trump administration policies are motivated by one of three things: Beneficial to capitalist class Popular with the base Consolidates executive power I guess if you zoom out, those...
I think all Trump administration policies are motivated by one of three things:
Beneficial to capitalist class
Popular with the base
Consolidates executive power
I guess if you zoom out, those three things all fall under the umbrella of "benefits Trump."
This one stinks of number 2 for sure, but is there something to this that benefits number 1 as well? The NOAA cuts are ridiculous, but AccuWeather is there to capitalize from them. Is there an AccuWeather in this scenario? Or is this really just about appeasing a base of crazies while marginally cutting the deficit caused by the recent tax cuts?
Citing President Donald Trump’s executive order promising greater oversight of “gain-of-function” (GOF) research that’s potentially dangerous, the agency has demanded the scientists leading those studies suspend part or all of their work and propose modifications to their experiments that would limit any risk of creating more deadly or transmissible pathogens.
“NIH has identified 40 projects that may meet the definition of dangerous gain-of-function research. … Erring on the side of caution, all projects potentially meeting the definition are being suspended,” Matt Memoli, NIH’s deputy director, wrote in a 3 July draft letter to the White House describing NIH’s “interim response” to the executive order. The letter, obtained by ScienceInsider, indicates an additional 172 projects have been flagged for potential suspension or termination.
Most of the suspended projects are taking place at U.S. universities, but nine are being conducted by NIH’s inhouse scientists, according to a spreadsheet listing the 40 projects. That document also notes that those intramural investigators have already agreed to either stop or modify their research.
This is ludicrous, the official reasoning was basically just "better safe than sorry"? This is akin to saying that there is no scientific, valid reasoning behind this.
They've casted such a wide net that they're applying the same conditions to low-risk experiments and novel, higher risk research. Add a "no appeals" approach to this, and this is a serious hindrance to pathological research as a whole.
All I can think of when reading this is that this is by no means a technical decision, and was made on a shaky political basis. All that remains is figuring out what political motivations lie behind this.
The political motivation behind this is that part of the MAGA wing's anti-vax stuff was spearing Fauci for "sponsoring gain of function" research, the implication being that this research was what caused covid in the first place. Especially given that those people are currently being kinda shaken by the fact the Epstein stuff was in fact, not released, this is probably an easy sacrifice to the altar of the death cult that's currently in control of the US. Sad times.
I think all Trump administration policies are motivated by one of three things:
Beneficial to capitalist class
Popular with the base
Consolidates executive power
I guess if you zoom out, those three things all fall under the umbrella of "benefits Trump."
This one stinks of number 2 for sure, but is there something to this that benefits number 1 as well? The NOAA cuts are ridiculous, but AccuWeather is there to capitalize from them. Is there an AccuWeather in this scenario? Or is this really just about appeasing a base of crazies while marginally cutting the deficit caused by the recent tax cuts?
From the article:
All this does is prevent America from keeping up with the rest of the world. Christo-fascist dumb fucks are the bane of this country.