Italian Scientists Convicted Of Manslaughter--Over Earthquake They Failed To Predict

[pgp_protector]

Italian Scientists Convicted Of Manslaughter, Sentenced To 6 Years In Jail, Over Earthquake They Failed To Predict Properly | Techdirt

 

[Elendur]

I really hope there's more to this story...

 

[HitchSlap]

Italian Scientists Convicted Of Manslaughter, Sentenced To 6 Years In Jail, Over Earthquake They Failed To Predict Properly | Techdirt

Oh great, looks like AV has one more to add to his list:

Challenger, Pluto, Thalidomide, the moon, and now failure to predict large earthquakes.

 

[Assyrian]

Slowly and quietly all the vulcanologists tiptoe away from Vesuvius...

 

[Cute Tink]

Next up we will be prosecuting meteorologists for failing to predict a rainstorm.

 

[Split Rock]

Italian Scientists Convicted Of Manslaughter, Sentenced To 6 Years In Jail, Over Earthquake They Failed To Predict Properly | Techdirt

Keep in mind this is the same judicial system that convicted Amanda Knox of murder and then freed her later. The wheels of justice may turn slowly in Italy, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't come up with the correct verdict in the end. We will have to see...

Here is another link: http://www.latimes.com/news/science...nslaughter-20121022,0,1288680.story?track=rss

 

[pgp_protector]

Next up we will be prosecuting meteorologists for failing to predict a rainstorm.

too late
Belgian Town May Sue Over Soggy Weather Forecasts : NPR

Leo Lippens wants to sue the private weather service Meteo Belgique for issuing a pessimistic full-summer forecast that he says wasn't "fair" because it didn't emphasize that the Belgian coast generally has clearer weather than the rest of the country.

Can You Sue The Weatherman? Belgian Tourism Officials Hope So

 

[Michael]

too late
Belgian Town May Sue Over Soggy Weather Forecasts : NPR



Can You Sue The Weatherman? Belgian Tourism Officials Hope So

That sort of nonsense just opens up all sorts of frivolous lawsuits. I can just envision the insurance companies suing astronomers for not "predicting" this sort of thing:

Meteorite hit suburban Calif. house - CBS News

 

[Blayz]

That sort of nonsense just opens up all sorts of frivolous lawsuits. I can just envision the insurance companies suing astronomers for not "predicting" this sort of thing:

Meteorite hit suburban Calif. house - CBS News

But you are OK with them being sued for false advertising...even though they are not selling anything.

Where do you draw the line?

 

[AV1611VET]

Oh great, looks like AV has one more to add to his list:

Challenger, Pluto, Thalidomide, the moon, and now failure to predict large earthquakes.

Here you go, newbie:

Be Prepared.

That's why seismologists were probably picking their noses in Hawaii when Mexico got blindsided; or picking their noses in Monte Carlo when Haiti got blindsided.

As I have pointed out before -- pick any major disaster in history and tell me where the scientists were at the time; probably on the other side of the earth playing Euchre or getting their name in lights warning of a local disaster or something.

Then they rush to the scene and pose for pictures in the National Geographic or Time or something.

One thing that bugs me is when some tragedy strikes, and CNN has a scientist's head on TV, sitting in a chair fit for a CEO, telling us exactly what happened.

 

[Split Rock]

Here you go, newbie:

Be Prepared.

That's why seismologists were probably picking their noses in Hawaii when Mexico got blindsided; or picking their noses in Monte Carlo when Haiti got blindsided.

As I have pointed out before -- pick any major disaster in history and tell me where the scientists were at the time; probably on the other side of the earth playing Euchre or getting their name in lights warning of a local disaster or something.

Then they rush to the scene and pose for pictures in the National Geographic or Time or something.

One thing that bugs me is when some tragedy strikes, and CNN has a scientist's head on TV, sitting in a chair fit for a CEO, telling us exactly what happened.

But God blesses us with these people, don't forget.....

 

[Michael]

But you are OK with them being sued for false advertising...even though they are not selling anything.

Where do you draw the line?

I tend to draw the line at "knowledge claims". In the case of the volcano, you're essentially asking scientists to "predict the future" in terms of when it might erupt, and then attempting to punish them for not correctly predicting the future. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the ground was rumbling and it was "dangerous" to be in the area. Asking them "when's it' going to blow" is technically beyond the limits of our scientific knowledge as the case in point so aptly demonstrates.

In the case of astronomers however, they're making a "knowledge claim". They claim to have created a "dark energy camera", when in fact nothing like that does exist or could exist.

Completely different issues. In the first case they simply don't have a crystal ball. In the second case of astronomy, they profess to have one.

 

[Blayz]

In the case of astronomers however, they're making a "knowledge claim". They claim to have created a "dark energy camera", when in fact nothing like that does exist or could exist.

How does this constitute false advertising, and what is your grounds for suing them, and in which court would you the action?

Ordinarily when a scientist makes a false claim, it gets shown to be false in the literature and the claim is then retracted.

This whole "advertising", "suing" thing, it's so...unscientific. Is it because you get all your science from uncorroborated websites and science press?

 

[Jro]

Back to chicken gizzards everyone, they've caught on to our schemes!

 

[Michael]

How does this constitute false advertising, and what is your grounds for suing them, and in which court would you the action?

Wrong thread.

 

[Cute Tink]

too late
Belgian Town May Sue Over Soggy Weather Forecasts : NPR



Can You Sue The Weatherman? Belgian Tourism Officials Hope So

Doh!

I guess that will be the last time I assume that stupidity has boundaries...

 

[pgp_protector]

Doh!

I guess that will be the last time I assume that stupidity has boundaries...

Reminds me of this

 

[Michael]

BBC News - Italy disaster head Luciano Maiani quits over L'Aquila

The court's decision doesn't seem to be playing out very well with other scientists, and it's already having negative repercussions.