Sunday, February 29, 2004

All Newspeak, All the Time

That's become the B*** administration's motto. In an article about Newspeak's appearance in the administration's talk on science, we find out that:
[T]he phrases "sound science" and "peer review" don't necessarily mean what you might think. Instead, they're part of a lexicon used to put a pro-science veneer on policies that most of the scientific community itself tends to be up in arms about. In this Orwellian vocabulary, "peer review" isn't simply an evaluation by learned colleagues. Instead, it appears to mean an industry-friendly plan to require such exhaustive analysis that federal agencies could have a hard time taking prompt action to protect public health and the environment. And "sound science" can mean, well, not-so-sound science.
Here's a loose attempt at a glossary of B***'s Newspeak. You can add to it, but only if you register (for free) at the site.

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