[Coral-List] DR. Starck conflict of interest?

Wed Oct 31 07:19:00 EDT 2012

Thank you Ian for stressing this important node.
The point, however, remains that we know what's going on. But people 
like Dr. Starck get to the news. We don't...

Maybe besides finding effective ways to communicate about climate change 
(and many other topics) we should also help people understand what is 
like being a researcher... I mean, the good that kids dream of, but also 
the bad that we deal with on a daily basis - including but not limited 
to struggling with spending reviews, unstable careers and harsh private 
choices. Never asked yourself  "what for? And sitll running...

Another point that may be good to clarify with the public is that 
scientists judge and validate science (although I agree that the 
peer-reviewed process is not flawless). That's a great example of people 
working for free for a common cause that is the advancement of our 
understanding of the world, for the common good.

Are there interests at stake in this? For sure yes, nothing human is 
perfect. Yet, I like to believe that most of the system is real...

Martina

Il 29/10/12 16.11, Ian Zink ha scritto:
> All,
> I'd just like to add an interesting point to the topic - Dr. Starck heavily criticizes ecologists for what has been dubbed "getting rich" off their work.  Dr. Starck states that lack of disclosure of conflicts of interests in funding that overshadows outcomes of studies: I would assume implying that one hand washes the other and resulting in some large scale conspiracy that governments and researchers and managers all lie in the same bed to vindictively control access to resources?
>
> Has anyone questioned the conflict of interest from Dr. Starck's persepective?  Among other great works and groups Dr. Starck has been a member of (he has spent a substantial effort extorting his life's works - which DO include a number interesting and novel works), he is a member of the Scientific Adivsory Panel of the Australian Climate Science Coalition, "a climate change skeptics website created by the the Australian Environment Foundation (AEF), a spin-off group created by the the corporate funded think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs."
> http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Australian_Climate_Science_Coalition
>
> Check out the Aust. Climate Science Coalition, interesting...
> http://www.auscsc.org.au/
>
> Institute of Public Affairs (for which Dr. Starck writes articles though I can't readily find a more solid connection) "...supports the free market of ideas, the free flow of capital, a limited and efficient government, evidence-based public policy, the rule of law, and representative democracy."  http://ipa.org.au/about
>
> Supposedly, the IPA is well connected to big corporate donors: "The IPA funded by its membership which include both private individuals and businesses.. Among these businesses are ExxonMobil,[4] Telstra, WMC Resources, BHP Billiton, Phillip Morris,[5] Murray Irrigation Limited,[6] and Visy Industries..  IPA donors have also included Clough Engineering, Caltex, Shell and Esso..[7] Other donors were electricity and mining companies, as well as British American Tobacco (BAT).[7]"  The IPA also has ties to American think-tanks such as the Heartland Institute.
>
> One can keep searching for hours to try to find the ties between climate change-denial webs; one thing is certain though, Dr. Starck has his own agenda, and doesn't seem to back it up with research, just personal opinions.
>
> FOLLOW THE MONEY.
>
> Thanks for reading my rant (or continuous cut and pastes from various sources).
> -Ian
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml..noaa.gov] on behalf of Dishon L. Murage [lionelmurage at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2012 1:31 AM
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Great Barrier Reef is rapidly loosing coral   (Eugene Shinn)
>
> Sorry,but my impression on the argument by Dr Stark is that its rather confusing and not well presented.Climate change is no longer an issue for discussion but a reality and engaging in an argument stating otherwise indicates a person who wants to draw attention to himself or someone who has strong vested interest that need protected by denying the reality.
>
> That's my take on Dr Stark presentation.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dishon Lionel Murage
> P.O. Box 1976-80100,
> Mombasa,
> Kenya
>
>
> e-mail: lionelmurage at yahoo.com
> Tel: +254722270298 or +254713900361
>
>
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> Subject: Coral-List Digest, Vol 50, Issue 21
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> Today's Topics:
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>     1. Great Barrier Reef is rapidly loosing coral (Eugene Shinn)
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:26:14 -0400
> From: Eugene Shinn<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Great Barrier Reef is rapidly loosing coral
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Message-ID:<a06230936ccadc2a54198@[131.247.136.119]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
> Dear listers, I just received a most interesting publication on the
> GBR situation. It is from Dr. Walter Stark who I briefly knew in the
> 1960s when he was receiving his doctorate from the University of
> Miami.  Walter grew up in the Florida Keys and after receiving his
> degree sailed to Australia where he has remained as a researcher and
> Dive tour operator. Walter is an original and has been around longer
> than most Australian reef researchers. He received no government
> research funding and therefore has a decidedly different view of what
> is happening to the GBR. I know many readers will disagree but it may
> be worth examining his alternative view of what is happening on the
> GBR. Remember, I am just the messenger. Gene
> http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2012/10/reef-alarmists-jump-the-shark
> --
>
>
> No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
> ------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
> E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
> University of South Florida
> College of Marine Science Room 221A
> 140 Seventh Avenue South
> St. Petersburg, FL 33701
> <eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
> Tel 727 553-1158----------------------------------
> -----------------------------------
>
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