Why stop there - why not put "God" on trial and call in the church to do defense?
Close enough: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial
L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
61–70 of 112 posts
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is bullshit, let me tell you. Corruption is everywhere in Italy: North AND South. Public sector AND Private sector. I am Italian, from the North, I lived in Milan for years and I am married with a woman from Rome: I know what I'm saying...
Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, as I have no idea about this, but I'm not sure being Italian is evidence that you are an expert on Italian corruption...
Corruption in Italy is hardwired in the behavior of people and their approach to life. It's enough to live in Italy for a long enough time to understand how people reason and why corruption is so widespread.
Obviously, being Italian doesn't make me an expert in corruption from a legal point of view, but I am pretty positive to know a bit about Italian mentality and facts confirm that corruption is as common in the North as it is in the South (I can cite my sources, if necessary.)
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is bullshit, let me tell you. Corruption is everywhere in Italy: North AND South. Public sector AND Private sector. I am Italian, from the North, I lived in Milan for years and I am married with a woman from Rome: I know what I'm saying...
Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, as I have no idea about this, but I'm not sure being Italian is evidence that you are an expert on Italian corruption...
"Expert" is a relative term. He may not know all the intricate details. But having to live in the system he has first-hand knowledge, and not being part of the system (apparently) he has no personal reason to hide its dirty secrets. Also, his experience is likely to be typical for other people like him. This, I would say, makes him a great source. Then if an "expert" wants to perform a scientific study or in-depth journalistic investigation or some other thing "experts" are supposed to do, the said expert would need to contact him and other like him, for knowledge. Which he, thankfully, has freely shared with us here.
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#64Predicting an earthquake is predicting when a bent wooden ruler will snap. Sometimes it creaks before it snaps. Sometimes it creaks, and doesn't snap. Sometimes it just snaps. The way to prevent deaths from earthquakes is to ensure buildings can survive them. Modern buildings collapsed in the quake. I wonder if they were built to standard, or if a few corners were cut?
If the bender neglected to tell the observers to wear eye protection and the unthinkable happened, they should be held accountable. A ruler in the eye is no way to start a Monday.
The bender is nature; the scientists are the observers.
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#65I can wholeheartedly recommend a documentary called Draquila – L'Italia che trema [1] about the L'Aquila earthquake. As many of my Italian friends tell me, Italy is an absolutely corrupt shit hole. I remember a scene where they showed recordings of civil protection officials gloating about the disaster on the phone, right after it happened. They talked about the opportunity to make money [2]. The head of the national…
Italy is an absolutely corrupt shit hole. I remember a scene where they showed recordings of civil protection officials gloating about the disaster on the phone, right after it happened. They talked about the opportunity to make money
Just as another data point, lots of countries have corrupt and self-centred politicians. A spin doctor the UK government, on September 11th 2001, between when the towers were hit and when the fell, wrote an email to their staff saying "It's now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury. Councillors' expenses?" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Moore ). You'll always get slimey politicians who will see oppertunity in tragedy.
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#66previous discussion: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2585962
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#67Lesson learned: Don't be an Italian scientist.
Or, if you are, predict catastrophe 100% of the time.
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#68I can wholeheartedly recommend a documentary called Draquila – L'Italia che trema [1] about the L'Aquila earthquake. As many of my Italian friends tell me, Italy is an absolutely corrupt shit hole. I remember a scene where they showed recordings of civil protection officials gloating about the disaster on the phone, right after it happened. They talked about the opportunity to make money [2]. The head of the national…
Italy is an absolutely corrupt shit hole. I remember a scene where they showed recordings of civil protection officials gloating about the disaster on the phone, right after it happened. They talked about the opportunity to make money Just as another data point, lots of countries have corrupt and self-centred politicians. A spin doctor the UK government, on September 11th 2001, between when the towers were hit and wh…
That's a little different. What you're talking about is burying bad news, which is indeed standard political practice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
What it's not is corruption, which is what the OP is talking about.
For what it's worth, I would say Italy does have a perception of being more corrupt than its fellow European counterparts. This may or may not be true - it's obviously a little difficult to objectively measure corruption, but the Corruption Perceptions Index[1] has ranked Italy as one the most corrupt countries of Western Europe.
[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index
Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#69Re: L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists found guilty of manslaughter
#70Scapegoating at its best. Really, what a disgrace this is.
Scientists are already loathe to communicate directly with the general public for fear of misunderstanding of carefully chosen words. This kind of farce will cause a rift that will take a long time to heal. If ever.
What's next? Putting the Earth on trial for manslaughter?