[hinckley buzzard]

The impact of politics and money, yoked like a team of oxen, has undermined the entire scientific enterprise in sensitive areas. While "peer-reviewed" publications remain the coin of the academic realm, the ability to harvest grant money and keep it rolling in has become at least as important.

So what's a little data mining, filling in of empty points, or slipping alphas between friends when the results are not earthshaking, and besides, they are going to be in line with conventioal wisdom?

[1010RD]

Spot on analysis. Someone, I cannot recall, did a study that showed that science, even highly theoretical science, was well funded privately and corporately before government stepped in.

The danger now is how do you undo it?