The NOAA says “no; that’s not science.”
NOAA scientist: agency likely broke science integrity rules .
The acting chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said his agency likely violated its scientific integrity rules last week when it publicly chastised a weather office that contradicted President Donald Trump’s claim that Hurricane Dorian threatened Alabama.
Two top NOAA civil servants not so quietly revolted against an unsigned agency press release issued late Friday rebuking the Birmingham weather office for saying Alabama was safe. The agency’s top scientist called Friday’s release “political” and the head of the National Weather Service said the Alabama office “did what any office would do to protect the public.”
“My understanding is that this intervention to contradict the forecaster was not based on science but on external factors including reputation and appearance, or simply put, political,” acting chief scientist and assistant administrator for ocean and atmospheric research Craig McLean wrote to staffers Sunday night.
In the email, first reported by The Washington Post, McLean said he is “pursuing the potential violations” of the agency’s science integrity policy.
NOAA spokesman Scott Smullen said Monday, “NOAA’s policies on scientific integrity and communications are among the strongest in the federal government, and get high marks from third party observers. The agency’s senior career leaders are free to express their opinions about matters of agency operations and science. The agency will not be providing further official comment, and will not speculate on internal reviews.”
McLean in his letter said the Birmingham staff “corrected any public misunderstanding in an expert and timely way as they should. There followed, last Friday, an unsigned press release from ‘NOAA’ that inappropriately and incorrectly contradicted the NWS forecaster.”
McLean said that the NOAA Scientific Integrity Policy tells all agency employees to “approach all scientific activities with honesty, objectively, and completely, without allegiance to individuals, organizations, or ideology.”
He said the Friday NOAA press release “compromises the ability of NOAA to convey life-saving information” and “violated NOAA’s policies of scientific integrity.”
Meanwhile, another career civil servant, National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said forecasters in Birmingham did the right thing Sept. 1 when they tried to combat public panic and rumors that Dorian posed a threat to Alabama.
“They did that with one thing in mind: public safety,” said Uccellini, who prompted a standing ovation at a meeting of the National Weather Association by asking members of the Birmingham weather staff to stand.
jsc1953
September 9, 2019, 11:00pm
36386
The (acting) director of Customs & Border Protection was asked about undocumented Bahamian refugees arriving in the US; and he said that, of course, the US would be accommodating.
But since the right hand in the administration never knows what the left hand is doing, our President had to weigh in. And given the choice between acting like a humanitarian and acting like a racist asshole – of course he chose Door #2 .
Who knew there were so many Bahamians living in Alabama?
JohnT
September 10, 2019, 1:08am
36390
So, that spy?
New tonight: Given NYT has now made details on Russian spy public, I can now report additional info we had withheld. Asset had direct access to Vladimir Putin, including the remarkable ability to take photos of presidential documents, and had served US for more than a decade. 1/
Calling it: Trump will want to, if not actually, send this guy to Russia. If he’s in the US, he should be fearful of this.
The next election will decide if we are a nation that helps other people, the land of the free, or a bunch of God damned rednecks.
Monty
September 10, 2019, 1:35am
36392
Yeah, but he doesn’t like them :
If you check the comments on that story, you’ll see mine:
Jack_Batty:
Alabahamians?
Snarf!
zoid
September 10, 2019, 2:21am
36393
I think you know the answer
Or, perhaps, laudable rednecks
Redneck Revolt was founded in 2016 as an anti-racist, anti-fascist community defense formation. The history of the term redneck is long and complex. … In 1921, the term became synonymous with armed insurrection against the state, as members of the United Mine Workers of America tied red bandanas around their necks during the Battle of Blair Mountain, a two week long armed multi-racial labor uprising in the coalfields of West Virginia.
Rednecks are held in low esteem by us trailer-trash peckerwoods.
Trust you guys to miss the major news event of the day. In the future, this day will be marked as a milestone in the shoe of History. Boldly did The Leader, Darth Shit-for-Brains, go forth and declare his undying loyalty to the Republican Party. In a testament sealed in Sharpie! he has declared himself.
Monty
September 10, 2019, 6:30am
36397
Diamonds. You know he doesn’t have a heart, his hands are too tiny for clubs, and…well, you know he feels about those others.
I’m surprised the MAGAbots aren’t marching in the streets protesting the unfair treatment of Dear Leader regarding the Sharpie incident, carrying signs that read “BLACK LINES MATTER”.
CNN just reported that Trump boots John Bolton. Fired by Trump.
On edit: From the NY Times:
WASHINGTON — President Trump fired John R. Bolton, his third national security adviser, on Tuesday amid fundamental disagreements over how to handle major foreign policy challenges like Iran, North Korea and Afghanistan.
Mr. Trump announced the decision on Twitter. “I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.”
jsc1953
September 10, 2019, 4:30pm
36401
Three National Security Advisers in 2.5 years, one of whom is in jail. Perfectly normal.
Not the least bit sorry to see Bolton go, but god knows what bottom-feeding kiss-ass he’ll find to fill the spot.
Honestly I can’t be mad about that one, the further Bolton is from the levers of power the better. He’s one of the few people who absolutely will not be a stabilizing influence in the Trump white house.
Gyrate
September 10, 2019, 4:35pm
36403
Now if only there was something we could do to to get him to fire Stephen Miller…
Sage_Rat
September 10, 2019, 4:51pm
36404
Sage_Rat:
I was pretty sure that this would be Bolton when I clicked the headline:
Trump Advisor warns China over Hong Kong Crackdown
I wouldn’t say that we’re up to a 50% chance yet, but I would say that we’re probably moving towards Bolton getting the boot. Trump don’t care about Venezuela - he’s happy to let Bolton do whatever he wants, even if it means being the World Police - but he does care about China and the trade war, and Bolton isn’t the sort to give a damn what Trump tells him to do.
China tells Trump “no deal” if he or any of his people say anything about Hong Kong
Trump tells Bolton to stop
Bolton ignores him
Bolton fired
Actually, maybe it is better than 50% chance. Trump already backed down on Taiwan, back during the election.
And thar we go. Pushed the last little bit over by the Taliban.
Prepare for a potential 180 on Venezuela.
