There are two reasons to wage war on science. Faith and Funding.
Dr. Rick Steiner will be my guest today on the Shannyn Moore Show in the second hour. The outspoken Steiner lost his funding at the University of Alaska, after a long battle over academic freedom and intelligent, science-based discourse when it comes to the realities of climate change and industry. University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton was invited to appear on the show but has not yet responded.
Professor Steiner will be making an important announcement on my show tonight.
Tune in tonight from 5pm-7pm local/6pm-9pm Pacific/9pm-11pm Eastern.
Catch us on terrestrial radio on Smart Radio AM700 KBYR.
You may stream the show live on the Series of Tubes here.
There is Live Blogging on The Mudflats!
Call the show at 907.274.5297.
Grab a Redbull and strap on your seatbelts…
Here is Dr. Steiner’s appearance on Democracy Now! this week.
SHANNYN MOORE: JUST A GIRL FROM HOMER 
Thank you Mr. Steiner for speaking the truth! I have always felt deist by the Uof A@F when I share modern, efficient, and contemporary polar science, expedition, and adventure vessels from around the world. You would think that academia would want to be supportive developing fuel efficient science vessels, and the industries that would build and support coastal science and educational programs in Alaska.
Our University structure and business culture in Alaska is very pro oil and gas development. Any greener option in business or environment concerns, are lost in the big dollar political shuffle.
Sure, the fisheries have some sway, but lots of political big dollar ties in our resource extraction as well.
By: Carl Nostrand on October 24, 2009
at 1:13 pm
Yes Carl, one would think those in academia could not only be supportive but will foster in the new green technology…
Sadly, Alaska’s lawmakers / politcal leaders and (most?) of its people just want to “Drill baby, drill!” because of acquiesce to a value system which simply is not for the benefit of ALL People.
Kind of like “who cares what happens to the planet, I’m going to Heaven in the end”. Some pretty unhealthy kind of greediness if you ask me….PeeU!
By: aly on October 24, 2009
at 9:22 pm
It saddens and sickens me when business and corporations get in the way of science and education. Such an importation issue but he who has the gold makes the rules. Environmental and Educational issues why money and ignorance win make me feel truly powerless. I don not know how to combat them even in my fantasies, let alone take some sort of meaningful action!
By: anadventurer on October 24, 2009
at 3:24 pm
Tell Rick some of us out here are with him in his struggle. I know he is a very capable man. Also Smith died a couple days ago.
By: AKjah on October 24, 2009
at 3:27 pm
Shannyn, I was not able to hear your whole program as we had a dinner engagement, but what I did hear was great. I will listen to the podcast tomorrow.
Corporate greed and religious zeal are gaining on science, education, and reason. This is unfortunate, sad and regressive to say the least.
You do a great job on keeping issues like this on the forefront. Keep it up.
By: seattlefan on October 24, 2009
at 7:16 pm
I am amazed the Dr Steiner story has not gone viral. It is not very often that fascism raises it’s ugly head to the extent of censoring and the firing a tenured Professor. Why are others silent? The press, the doctors, the lawyers, the politicians who are sworn into office to serve the people, the fellow professors, the accreditation bodies, the student body, local teachers and the teachers union?
This is a classic case… Socrates ordered to take a sip of hemlock, the persecution of Copernicus, Galileo, Solzhenitsyn, the Spanish Inquisition.
This is what Naomi Wolf warns us about in her book “The End of America”. Naomi Kline discusses in her book “The Shock Doctrine”. Noam Chomsky has also fought censorship of fellow Professors.
Shannyn suggested this is happening across America. No it isn’t! We do not live in Mussolini’s Italy. We do not have Gulags for Professors or authors who are not beholden to authority. We are not burning books, as they did in Hitler’s Germany.
Yes, awarding or not funding research happens by means of corporate sponsors. But, censorship and firing Professors because of their views is not happening.
What is it going to take for Alaskans to wake up? Why hasn’t Kieth Obermann or Rachael Maddow picked up this story and ran with it?
The last place my child would attend is the University of Alaska to be programmed into a corporate moron, a mind tooled for a special interest corporate sponsor. It is not as if the State is broke. The University has a huge endowment as a land grant State University. The State has over $ 50 billion in the bank. There is no means for the University to be a place of higher education when Professors and students are censored and punished for not being puppets to the ruling class and special corporate interest.
This is Orwellian and a major attack on Freedom that America’s Founding Father’s defined as our inalienable rights.
By: Wolf Pack on October 25, 2009
at 2:17 am
What a story…..I’m surprised Shannyn didn’t connect the dots. Rick’s problems started in 2008. This was under Pres. Bush, the science denier. We all know how Bush tried to silence career scientists by putting his political appointees in charge of agencies such as EPA, NASA, NIH and FDA. Many at EPA resigned in disgust. NASA scientist went public, over the censorship, the rewriting & revision of their scientific work by political appointees, to fit Bush’s drill, baby, drill and the gutting of clean air and water agenda.
By: Wolf Pack on October 25, 2009
at 6:02 am
Thanks to Shannyn for publicizing this ugly story.
I caught part of the show, then had to leave.
Here’s a suggestion: contact the NCSE, the National Center for Science Education. They normally get involved in the defense of science teachers against the creationists but this case is so blatant they may get involved. Or at least, help Prof. Steiner to fight to regain his position.
No wonder the right wing have lost their minds. Their War on Science has corrupted their ability to even think clearly.
By: Kevin from NV on October 25, 2009
at 6:32 am
I still want to know why the Faculty’s Union turned tail and ran. That just isn’t right.
By: Ripley in CT on October 25, 2009
at 1:15 pm