Friday Science: Publishing

What you say!

The graph is a representation of science papers submitted for publication to Science Magazine.  The key word is submitted not to be confused with published.  It turns out that whenever you give an individual cash incentive to submit publications(green), the rank and file do just that.  Many of the submittals are garbage, weak or plagiarized science. 

Many countries around the world are paying their scientist the equivalent of $2000 for a published paper in a major journal like Science.  There is a direct economic incentive to become a scientist and dive into the most basic science research.   Our country does some of that but mostly it is our mythical friend, big business and the tickle down rich.  There are tax incentives for sponsoring research.  There is greater tax incentives through in some of the loopholes so exactly how much will go to  "basic" research is not know. 

If the United States does not support and fund lower education and the importance of learning in children and there is less funding for the universities and very little contribution to publication of science, then the fascist who need an ignorant populace will win, pencils down.  In the US there is an vast portion of a entire generation that is composed of uneducated dolts who are completely unable to vote intelligently on any subject.  How do you think that our elected officials got elected?  By telling lies and distorting the truth.  Until recently, the politicians were educated and could manipulate effectively.  Now even they are stupid and we all know it.  Well, at least the portion of the people that can think and judge objectively, scientifically.  I am not talking about "Intelligent design" or "Creationism" as an alternate theory to evolution.  If you cannot think objectively or creatively in the first place, these issues are not debatable because you probably do not understand either position anyway.  Just poking your finger in the air is not a decision.  My dad always said, "Watch where you poke that finger".  That is for another day and time.

Lets encourage thought, science and research of all kinds.  It will pay off.