COI

[winsor 236]

Conflict of Interest is a factor that is largely glossed over in consideration of organizations that are committed to good works.

The Polio vaccine damned near put the March of Dimes out of business.  It took some reorganization to come up with another cause that justified the constant flow of cash.  They finally hit on Birth Defects, so they're in the clear.

If someone came up with a treatment for Stage IV cancer that had 99% effectiveness and involved taking 2 pills a day for a month at $0.35 a pill, I suspect that it would get a lot of pushback.  MD Anderson, Fox Chase and the like would be out of business, and Oncology would be like 'Advanced Buggy Whip Studies.'

The likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson need to find 'racism' under every rock, or they're out of business.

When any organization behaves in a manner that appears contrary to the available evidence, it helps to follow the money.

[airdvr 210]

Couldn't agree more.  Right and wrong have become profit and loss.  

[billvon 2,991]

18 minutes ago, winsor said:

Conflict of Interest is a factor that is largely glossed over in consideration of organizations that are committed to good works.

The Polio vaccine damned near put the March of Dimes out of business.  It took some reorganization to come up with another cause that justified the constant flow of cash.  They finally hit on Birth Defects, so they're in the clear.

If someone came up with a treatment for Stage IV cancer that had 99% effectiveness and involved taking 2 pills a day for a month at $0.35 a pill, I suspect that it would get a lot of pushback.  MD Anderson, Fox Chase and the like would be out of business, and Oncology would be like 'Advanced Buggy Whip Studies.'

I gotta say I hear about that all the time.  Such claimed COI's regularly even conflict with each other but that doesn't slow them down.

"They are purposely withholding the vaccine for COVID because they get $$$ from the government every time they treat a patient!  They don't care if people die."

"They are purposely hyping up the COVID pandemic just to sell vaccines!  It's nothing more than a flu."

But in general those are silly and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.  As are the two you listed.  No, oncologists would not oppose a cheap and effective cancer treatment; indeed, they would all love to be the one to develop it and go down in history.  No, racism isn't made up by people who oppose it; indeed, they all want to be the next Martin Luther King and make a significant dent in it. 

That both groups of people regularly fail at that is not really the primary point.  It is that by their efforts society is made better overall.  Sure, we don't have a cancer cure pill.  But we do have CAR-T cell therapy which is not only saving lives of people with lymphoma but will lead to a great many more cancer cures in the years ahead.  MLK didn't end racism.  But we are far better off than we were 70 years ago.

 

[SkyDekker 1,465]

25 minutes ago, winsor said:

Conflict of Interest is a factor that is largely glossed over in consideration of organizations that are committed to good works.

The Polio vaccine damned near put the March of Dimes out of business.  It took some reorganization to come up with another cause that justified the constant flow of cash.  They finally hit on Birth Defects, so they're in the clear.

If someone came up with a treatment for Stage IV cancer that had 99% effectiveness and involved taking 2 pills a day for a month at $0.35 a pill, I suspect that it would get a lot of pushback.  MD Anderson, Fox Chase and the like would be out of business, and Oncology would be like 'Advanced Buggy Whip Studies.'

The likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson need to find 'racism' under every rock, or they're out of business.

When any organization behaves in a manner that appears contrary to the available evidence, it helps to follow the money.

Sure, just like old white men constantly need to find a way to justify they really aren't racist I guess.

 

[JerryBaumchen 1,363]

4 minutes ago, SkyDekker said:

Sure, just like old white men constantly need to find a way to justify they really aren't racist I guess.

 

Hi Sky,

And it usually begins somewhat like this:  'I'm not a racist, but . . . . '

Jerry Baumchen

[jakee 1,489]

50 minutes ago, winsor said:

When any organization behaves in a manner that appears contrary to the available evidence, it helps to follow the money.

You seem to have some more specific point you want to make. What is it?

[SkyDekker 1,465]

4 minutes ago, jakee said:

You seem to have some more specific point you want to make. What is it?

The sentence before that was really the point he was trying to make.

[winsor 236]

21 minutes ago, JerryBaumchen said:

Hi Sky,

And it usually begins somewhat like this:  'I'm not a racist, but . . . . '

Jerry Baumchen

I think being a 'racist' is a given.  It wasn't until, during a discussion about something unrelated, someone pointed out that I was "a racist honky motherfucker," that I came to that realization.

How can I dispute that logic?

[Phil1111 1,149]

28 minutes ago, JerryBaumchen said:

Hi Sky,

And it usually begins somewhat like this:  'I'm not a racist, but . . . . '

Jerry Baumchen

Or I have/had a friend who was Black, Indian, Chinese, etc.

[jakee 1,489]

7 minutes ago, winsor said:

I think being a 'racist' is a given.  It wasn't until, during a discussion about something unrelated, someone pointed out that I was "a racist honky motherfucker," that I came to that realization.

How can I dispute that logic?

You didn't say what his logic was. Though given the evidence you've presented here on numerous occasions, it probably was indisputable.

[olofscience 480]

1 hour ago, airdvr said:

Couldn't agree more.  Right and wrong have become profit and loss.  

You're projecting your greed onto other people.

Like how climate scientists "are only in the AGW conspiracy for money".

Like how doctors are only into oncology for the money.

God forbid that climate scientists actually care for the environment, or doctors actually want to save dying patients.

Because you, you only care about money so you think everyone else does.

[olofscience 480]

2 hours ago, winsor said:

If someone came up with a treatment for Stage IV cancer that had 99% effectiveness and involved taking 2 pills a day for a month at $0.35 a pill, I suspect that it would get a lot of pushback.  MD Anderson, Fox Chase and the like would be out of business, and Oncology would be like 'Advanced Buggy Whip Studies.'

Well with all the genius** in this post, I'm 100% sure that the person who comes up with a cure for cancer will NOT be you.

(by the way: cancer is not just one disease, but thousands of very different diseases so I know "a" cure is far too simplistic, but I needed to simplify my language to reach their level)

**sarcasm by the way - after that post I can't be setting my expectations too low can I?

Edited February 5, 2021 by olofscience

[gowlerk 2,192]

1 hour ago, SkyDekker said:

Sure, just like old white men constantly need to find a way to justify they really aren't racist I guess.

This is also the same theory that says oil companies are suppressing engines that run on water. And also spouted by the same conservative types who believe in market forces, but also believe that they are easily cheated. And of course by angry old men.

[wmw999 2,447]

12 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

This is also the same theory that says oil companies are suppressing engines that run on water. And also spouted by the same conservative types who believe in market forces, but also believe that they are easily cheated. And of course by angry old men.

Oh, I've heard liberals spout the oil company ones, too

Bless their hearts...

Wendy P.

[olofscience 480]

2 minutes ago, wmw999 said:

Oh, I've heard liberals spout the oil company ones, too

Bless their hearts...

Wendy P.

Oh yes, definitely. This isn't restricted by political affiliation, all you need is for their intelligence to fall below a certain level.

As for the relative probabilities of liberals or conservatives' intelligence falling below that level, I'll leave as an exercise for the reader.

[airdvr 210]

48 minutes ago, olofscience said:

You're projecting your greed onto other people.

Like how climate scientists "are only in the AGW conspiracy for money".

Like how doctors are only into oncology for the money.

God forbid that climate scientists actually care for the environment, or doctors actually want to save dying patients.

Because you, you only care about money so you think everyone else does.

I care about more things than money but I've had money and been flat broke.  Flat broke will change your views on money.

[olofscience 480]

1 minute ago, airdvr said:

but I've had money and been flat broke. Flat broke will change your views on money.

Who cares?

I seriously don't care about your views on money, just that you're projecting them on some people in organisations who could be completely innocent of the accusations you're making.

3 minutes ago, airdvr said:

I care about more things than money

Yeah, you're the only one right? The only one. Or at least part of a "special minority" (e.g. people you like) and everyone else are greedy bastards who are only in it for the money.

(more sarcasm too, just in case you don't see it)

[kallend 2,027]

2 hours ago, airdvr said:

I care about more things than money 

Verse 2, A Hard Days Night:  John Lennon

You know I work all day
To get you money to buy you things

[Phil1111 1,149]

3 hours ago, airdvr said:

I care about more things than money but I've had money and been flat broke.  Flat broke will change your views on money.

 

3 hours ago, olofscience said:

...Yeah, you're the only one right? The only one. Or at least part of a "special minority" (e.g. people you like) and everyone else are greedy bastards who are only in it for the money.

Perhaps they'll make a movie about air someday and he can be infamous.

[wmw999 2,447]

6 hours ago, airdvr said:

Couldn't agree more.  Right and wrong have become profit and loss.  

I think that’s true for some people, but I think there are others, maybe who already have enough, who work because it’s the work, not the money, that satisfies them. 
They tend to congregate away from the people who mainly motivated by the money, or who really just need the money (also a strong motivator). 
Science and art have a larger concentration of people who would pay to do that job if they couldn’t do it for the money. 
Wendy P. 

[BIGUN 1,314]

13 hours ago, wmw999 said:

I think that’s true for some people, but I think there are others, maybe who already have enough, who work because it’s the work, not the money, that satisfies them. 

There's a big difference between profit and profiteering. 

[RonD1120 62]

20 hours ago, winsor said:

I think being a 'racist' is a given.  It wasn't until, during a discussion about something unrelated, someone pointed out that I was "a racist honky motherfucker," that I came to that realization.

How can I dispute that logic?

True that.

I wasn't a racist until the Canadians, Brits, and West Coast Liberals said I was.

Edited February 6, 2021 by RonD1120

[gowlerk 2,192]

2 minutes ago, RonD1120 said:

True that.

I wasn't a racist until the Canadians, Brits, and West Coast Liberals said I was.

And you weren't a fundamentalist or extremist until you were enlightened either. And you think you are a patriot although you support insurrection. You are not the most self aware man I have ever dealt with.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

19 hours ago, airdvr said:

I care about more things than money but I've had money and been flat broke.  Flat broke will change your views on money.

In some cases not for the better it seems. So, flat broke is when those who aren't flat broke are helping make it so the flat broke can join the not flat broke again for the betterment of all. In your case, you seemed to have stopped at not flat broke anymore and tough shit for those who still are. 

[sfzombie13 324]

35 minutes ago, RonD1120 said:

True that.

I wasn't a racist until the Canadians, Brits, and West Coast Liberals said I was.

yeah you were.  just because you didn't know it doesn't mean you weren't or that you magically changed just because someone called you out on your racist behavior.