back to article US govt's science foundation purges 37 divisions, equity unit among casualties

The US government's National Science Foundation (NSF) is reportedly axing more than three dozen divisions, including its equity-in-STEM unit, while prepping staff layoffs and yanking over a billion dollars in recently awarded grants. The purge has already sparked legal action and congressional scrutiny. On Thursday, the …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "“This short-sighted move will hurt the American people, weaken our innovation ecosystem, and make it harder for the United States to compete globally."

    Well, that's exactly what it is intended to do. The US voted for Krasnov, WTF did they expect?

    1. simonlb Silver badge

      They expect to shortly be regressing to using flintlock rifles and carrying pitchforks for self defense. I'm surprised they haven't also shut down DARPA due to not being able to see what their various budgets are being spent on.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        “ Until now, division directors had the final word on most awards, according to Science.”

        Will it be up to the whims of Looney Laura Loomer next ?

  2. beast666 Silver badge

    The gravy train has hit the buffers.

    1. JLV Silver badge

      Excellent job, Shepilov.

      The US has historically outstripped us, and its other opponents, in science and engineering. Good of you to talk up item #14 - spending on science and education is wasteful!

      Plus, you managed to not say "Too much winning!".

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      You may be right. The US science/industrial complex has reached the end of the line. No more transfers from academic research to products.That's going to be the prerogative of wiser countries in the future.

      1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

        No more transfers from academic research to products.

        I think you may have made a typo and meant 'profits'. So with the recent fuss over Fauci and the NIH, it pointed out the number of public servants at NIH that were personally making a lot of money from research and patents. If scientists want to reap the rewards from commerical exploitation, then they should take the risks of working for businesses. Or maybe do the other common thing in academia and spin out the research into a for-profit entity. But that's another risk/reward issue that doesn't always seem to work.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Your deep ignorance of how the world works is spilling out of your pants onto the floor.

          1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

            Your deep ignorance of how the world works is spilling out of your pants onto the floor.

            Another deeply insightful and respectful comment from a LWNJ. The way the world works is the problem. Privatise the profits, socialise the costs. If public money funds the research, the public should reap the rewards. Pretty much every company has words to that effect in staff contracts, ie IPR developed on the company dime belongs to the company. Top researchers, developers, designers might be able to negotiate something better, but that's usually the exception.

            See also-

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Salk#Becoming_a_public_figure

            When Murrow asked him, "Who owns this patent?", Salk replied, "Well, the people I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?" The vaccine is calculated to be worth $7 billion had it been patented.

            Which is a bit controversial given patents can also be used to prevent profiteering. But compare and contrast to the many billions made by the drug dealers during the Panicdemic..

      2. JLV Silver badge

        True and another thing to remember is that, at least in STEM style research, even stuff that looks resolutely theoretical-not-practical can provide big payoffs at unexpected moments.

        I can't recall which maths field (prime numbers and crypto, something or another and radar?) famously had a curmudgeonly mathematician who prided himself on working on pure of abstract, intellectual research with no practical application. And then was royally miffed when it turned out it could be used, to great advantage in the real world.

        Taking pride in one's ignorance is a quick way to irrelevance. For all the CCP's numerous faults and abuses, you don't see them doing that (except on touchy political subjects).

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Any update on your request to be inseminated by Elon Musk yet, @beast666 ?

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      To be replaced by the Nepotism Train.

      Choo-choo !!

      Fill the water and coal!!!

      Still “winning”.

  3. LazLong

    Putin and Xi must be getting tired of winning by now. Their sides must be splitting from their ROFL for the last 100+ days.

    1. Mitoo Bobsworth Silver badge

      “We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within”.

      Nikita Khrushchev, 1956.

      1. SundogUK Silver badge

        They have been doing this for the last thirty years. Trump is ending it.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Oh, he's ending it - just not in the way you think.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      (losing automation)

      Not so sure about Xi. It could be more about life vs death priorities for USA. Read this shocking analysis:

      The West Is Positioned Backward And Covering Their Eyes, China's Clear Path to Full Scale Automation: https://semianalysis.com/2025/03/11/america-is-missing-the-new-labor-economy-robotics-part-1/

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      How many equity units do you think there are in China and Russia?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Less than there are Gulag’s, Concentration camps and political re-education centres.

  4. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

    I'm sorry, but you voted to put a crminal in the White House and now you're complaining that he's not respecting the law ?

    What exactly did you expect, that he would magically change from his first tour in the Oval Office ?

    He's doing nothing new, he's just doing it more boldly since he's learned that he is nigh untouchable from behind that desk.

    1. NewModelArmy

      Re: "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

      There was an article in the Guardian a month or so ago, cannot remember by who, but the main idea was that the MAGAs don't care if they are being impacted, as long as those they don't like are in a worse condition.

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

        Let#s see how they feel in a week or two as the impact of the lack of cargo ships visiting US ports translates to the contents of the stores shelves. It's already started, some shelves have less on than usual, truckers working out of the ports are VERY concerned about their jobs, sometimes doing a single run per day were they would previously have done 4 or 5. And that was just reports from local short haul truckers. Once the long haulers have finished their current runs and and have much less to pick u and haul, the rest of the USA will very quickly see the results the port cities are already beginning to see.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

          Fox has them convinced that the only thing that the US imports is Barbies, so it’s going to be a big surprise.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

        When they run out of foreigners or ‘gang’ members where will they turn next…. esp. if they can get some suspension of Due Process/Habeas Corpus.

        As John Oliver pointed out last week Rhianna and half of Chicago demonstrate some gang affiliation with ICE designated gang affiliation Hand signs or attire.

        ICE would deport Jesus if be second came to the USA…say Chicago the home city of the new Pope.

        Dark skinned, can’t speak English, critical of Jewish Orthodoxy, DEI Advocate, hangs around with 12 men/suspected fag, unemployed, homeless, potential associate of Greta Thunberg, certain Communist, anti-Capitalist agitator, likely antifa member.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "it was issued without public notice or comment and violates the law"

      Put him in office, *and* gave him widespread immunity from prosecution….

      Perhaps that needs challenged. Even Chief Justice Robert’s may consider a recount on that.

  5. that one in the corner Silver badge

    Translational science

    That would be making all the molecules in the hostess's undergarments leap simultaneously one foot to the left?

    (Before purchasing, please be aware that Bambleweeny 57 Sub-Meson Brains may be subject to improbable levels of tariffs)

    1. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Translational science

      "That would be making all the molecules in the hostess's undergarments leap simultaneously one foot to the left?"

      That will certainly break the ice.

      Sadly, I don't get invited to those sorts of parties.

      1. KittenHuffer Silver badge

        Re: Translational science

        I'm not sure I would want to be invited unless it was guaranteed that ALL of the hostess's were narrower than one foot.

        I certainly do not have the medical training (or intestinal fortitude) to see ladies with undergarments translocated to within their bodies!

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well, ...

    > US govt's science foundation purges 37 divisions, equity unit among casualties

    When the *focus* of this is the *equity unit*, it just makes me think: "Good."

    Until the focus stops being wealth redistribution and government mandated racism (whatever your intentions), you're promulgating the reasons that the current president got elected. Seriously, 100%, people are sick of the PC bullshit, the anti-white racism, anti-male androgyny, etc. That is the whole platform of the current president -- and it won.

    Twice.

    oh something about science? 37 science? wha huh?

    Priorities? What are they? *sigh*

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Well, ...

      This is exactly why Trump was chosen. And that tiny percentage of loud mouthed extreme left fascists, yes fascists, cant do a damned thing about it. The Democratic MAJORITY made their decision democratically and now its time for that tiny percentage to shut up and go back to living quietly in their basement.

      Try and cite what good has been done for the blacks or the other minorities in the last 4 years , nothing zilch , its all smoke and mirrors. Teaching people that they are victims only helps them to remain victims. Unless of course the intentions was to keep them victims which would then allow the white middle class women to inform the world of just how virtuous they truly are.

      And lets not begin the subject of mutilating healthy bodied children because "ideology" that is based on lies.and falsehood. This is a crime against humanity, the nazis actually did the same kinds of experiments and yes we have proof of that , its no different, lets cut of healthy body parts and try and grow some others WTF, who does that to children

      People have become sick of the constant PC diatribe and lies that does nothing but hurt everyone. "All that's woke turns to shit" was the only true statement to surface uin the last few years.

      1. MONK_DUCK

        Re: Well, ...

        Let's be honest a vast amount of America had no idea what they were voting for. They read their social media feed which told them the evil left were plotting. They read that prices would fall day one. They read that the economy would explode and women wouldn't have to work anymore and could go back to the kitchen. They read that nice white boy would have a job rather than the more educated 'other'.

        Once the election was over of course, it all turned out to be rubbish. American science is lagging China, economy is dipping, the evil woke plot only seems to be happing in the is media and it turns out nowhere else on the planet.

        Americans need to except what they voted for.

        1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

          Re: Well, ...

          Let's be honest a vast amount of America had no idea what they were voting for.

          Sure they did. Maybe the were voting for a less patronising, condescending party that didn't treat them with contempt. Or just !Harris.

          They read their social media feed which told them the evil left were plotting

          This is also a reason why Harris lost. Too much focus on parasocial media and negative campaigning, not enough on policy issues that would attract voters.. And the far-left still hasn't got that memo,

          Once the election was over of course, it all turned out to be rubbish. American science is lagging China, economy is dipping, the evil woke plot only seems to be happing in the is media and it turns out nowhere else on the planet.

          Trumps been in office for a bit over 100 days, but the far-left seem to expect miracles. It's going to take time to undo the damage the DEI brigade has caused. So-

          The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) promotes inclusivity and innovation

          Sorry, your project won't be funded because it's not diverse, or inclusive enough. You may resubmit once you've met the quotas. Or just the overlap between NSF promoting (or trying to promote) STEM and the Department of Education, who are also getting their DEI bollocks snipped and told to refocus on actually educating Americans. Which is also why the US is lagging China, India etc because those countries value science and education over US universities that seemed more concerned about ensuring students can recite the 57 flavors of gender.. Or be expelled. If, of course you've got a DEI consultancy flogging mandatory training courses, then sorry, that bubble is rapidly deflating. Public money shouldn't be wasted on that garbage.

          But the media also has a lot to answer for, especially it's shareholders. Hollywood hasn't yet figured out that if you make content for minority audiences, you get minority views, and box office receipts. If people want loony lefties losing it, they can always tune into CNN or MSBC, not pay $50+ to go see the latest Disney wokebuster. For UK viewers, it's amusing watching the ratings falling off a cliff for Dr Who.. Which is a little sad given that was originally a sneaky way by the Bbc of old to slip in some education to kids. But then it got RTD'd.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Well, ...

            I guess jellied eel is what's between your ears.

          2. MachDiamond Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            "This is also a reason why Harris lost. Too much focus on parasocial media and negative campaigning, not enough on policy issues that would attract voters.. And the far-left still hasn't got that memo,"

            Kamala was never good at presenting herself in interviews. Her statements were often a very strange word salad with no sense to them.

            One of the things about STEM subjects is they should be socially neutral by their very nature. Trying to inject DIE just leads to biased programs rather than expanding them.

            1. UnknownUnknown Silver badge

              Re: Well, ...

              Kamala guilty of ‘word salad’ ….!?

              Did you watch Trump ?

          3. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            "Sorry, your project won't be funded because it's not diverse, or inclusive enough. You may resubmit once you've met the quotas."

            That bit, at least, I can agree with. US style DEI morphed from programs to help and encourage minorities to try stuff they thought they couldn't do and to try to teach the people doing the hiring not learn to hire based on ability. But as usual the US had to be "bigger and better" and started creating quotas, which just pisses everyone off because no one know if a minority person (race, disability, whatever) was hired because of the quota or their ability to do the job.

            Whether this was deliberate by anti-DEI people to discredit the system or just the American way of doing things, we shall probably never know.

            As for the "Disneyfication" of Dr Who, yeah, it's pretty damned obvious that RTD is worse now with the Disney backing. At one time, we werer left to discover the "message" of the story for ourselves. Now we have the Doctor making a speech about it at the end. Very much in the US style of explaining the "moral" of the story at the end of a show, especially kids shows.

            I'm still not upvoting you though because of the other shit in your post that I don't agree with :-)

            1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

              Re: Well, ...

              That bit, at least, I can agree with. US style DEI morphed from programs to help and encourage minorities to try stuff they thought they couldn't do and to try to teach the people doing the hiring not learn to hire based on ability. But as usual the US had to be "bigger and better" and started creating quotas, which just pisses everyone off because no one know if a minority person (race, disability, whatever) was hired because of the quota or their ability to do the job.

              That's something minorities have also criticised, ie a perception, real or imaginary that a person is a diversity hire, or they've been passed over for promotion because of quotas rather than merit. Then that being exploited by both sides to drive their own agendas. There should be equality of opportunity and outcome, but I really don't think quota filling helps meet those objectives, and can just drive prejudices deeper. Plus leads to other oddities. Like RTD saying he doesn't want disabled people being portrayed as evil, like Davros. Or Hollywood deciding disabled characters should be played by disabled actors. Which then gets a little odd, like should deformed monsters in horror movies only be played by deformed actors? Or if directors and writers could play with those conventions and have the disabled person as the villain. A misdirect, a bit like knowing an actor can't be the villain because they have an iPhone.

              Whether this was deliberate by anti-DEI people to discredit the system or just the American way of doing things, we shall probably never know.

              Well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Or give'em an inch, they'll take a mile. Anti-discrimination is obviously a bad thing, but positive discrimination can be as well. Reforming bloated bureacracies can also be a good thing. So shaking up the NSF and Department of Education could be a good thing and give states more say over their education policies, or a bad thing if it results in an overall cut in useful funding.

              As for the "Disneyfication" of Dr Who, yeah, it's pretty damned obvious that RTD is worse now with the Disney backing.

              A lot is just terrible writing. Like I saw a review of an episode where there was an invisible monster that hides behind people. Simple solution, strap'em to a wall until you've figured out how to deal with it. But nope, instead the disabled person was left to spin around and get people killed, which kinda goes against RTD's belief that disabled people shouldn't be portrayed as evil. Or the most recent episode where the 'anti-vaxxer' was going to be murdered by the supposed good guys (ok, gals, natch) just to teach them a lesson.

              I'm still not upvoting you though because of the other shit in your post that I don't agree with

              Well, as I mostly agree with you (this time..), have an upvote! :p

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Well, ...

          > Let's be honest a vast amount of America had no idea what they were voting for.

          "Presented with the opportunity to re-elect a person who was formerly a president, that tenure being to the great disgust of much of the country, a vast amount of America had no idea that the same person being elected *again* would result in very similar problems this time around."

          What? Admittedly, I'm making a long-winded sentence to show the absurdity, but the absurdity is there nonetheless..

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Well, ...

        > . And that tiny percentage of loud mouthed extreme left fascists, yes fascists,

        Can't tell left from right? Please tell us you don't drive.

        > Democratic MAJORITY made their decision democratically

        You do know it is 100% possible to democratically vote a fascist into office, don't you? Well, guess what happened...

        > And lets not begin the subject of mutilating healthy bodied children because "ideology" that is based on lies.and falsehood

        > lets cut of healthy body parts and try and grow some others WTF, who does that to children

        American hospitals, for decades, probably over a century, every time they spotted a newborn with "ambiguous genitalia"; no matter if the surgeons picked went the wrong way. Because the only thing that mattered to them was to tick one of the two boxes - and if they'd damn well make the baby fit the paperwork.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Well, ...

          "American hospitals, for decades, probably over a century, every time they spotted a newborn with "ambiguous genitalia"

          I can understand why that was being done, milost people can accept that MO in such a situation.

          But your being intellectually dishonest as that it a straw man arguement that has nothing at all to do with the Trans Ideology.

          How do you justify healthy 13, 14, 15 year old females cutting off healthy breast tissue in order pretend that it will help solve their psychological problems. They need psychologists not surgeons.

          This is why the radical left us becoming the mist hated group on tue planet. They spend their time developing lies in order to justify their madness. And they enforce everything using varying degrees of bullying. They actually perpetrate most if the evil that they pretend to be fighting against.

          .

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Well, ...

            > But your being intellectually dishonest as that it a straw man arguement that has nothing at all to do with the Trans Ideology.

            Please go back and read the question as posed:

            >> And lets not begin the subject of mutilating healthy bodied children because "ideology" that is based on lies.and falsehood

            The '"ideology" that is based on lies.and falsehood' is that the child had to be mutilated to fit the paperwork - that is something which actually happened/happens and is therefore not a strawman. Yes, it does speak to "trans" issues because the newborns were/are being forced against their will to fit into perceptions of how they should be.

            > How do you justify healthy 13, 14, 15 year old females cutting off healthy breast tissue in order pretend that it will help solve their psychological problems. They need psychologists not surgeons.How do you justify healthy 13, 14, 15 year old females cutting off healthy breast tissue in order pretend that it will help solve their psychological problems. They need psychologists not surgeons.

            A really crappy "health" system that priotitizes profit over everything else? In the developed world, the "worst" that is done is the prescription of puberty blockers, which is a "reversible" treatment - and counselling.

            > I can understand why that was being done, milost people can accept that MO in such a situation.

            So you are agreeing with The System mutilating babies? And you believe that most people believe in mutilating babies? No matter that it would cause them no physical harm to grow up and then see what the reality of the situation is?

            Or do you just believe that everyone must be "normal" - and under *your* definition of "Normal"? Get rid of The Other! There is a word for that sort of view, on the tip of my tongue, begins with an 'F', something to do with sticks tied into a bundle...

            PS

            > your being intellectually...

            YOU'RE!

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Well, ...

              New Zealand Health Service

              Findings

              The full evidence brief and addendum are available on the Ministry of Health website. Key findings

              are as follows:

              • There is some evidence that for people treated with puberty blockers, bone density appears to

              increase at less than the expected rate for individual stage of development.

              • Organ systems are often impacted by hormone medication. However, for those on puberty

              blockers, there is currently no evidence of impact on renal or liver function, the onset of diabetes,

              or fertility.

              • Whilst there are some studies that suggest an improvement in depression, anxiety, and suicidal

              ideation for individuals treated with puberty blockers, the quality of the evidence is poor.

              Overall, the evidence brief found significant limitations in the quality of evidence for either the

              benefits or risks (or lack thereof) of the use of puberty blockers. This means there is insufficient basis

              to say that puberty blockers are safe or reversible (or not) for use as an intervention for gender

              dysphoria in adolescents

              UK

              Puberty blockers (PB) as a treatment for gender dysphoria will no longer be prescribed by NHS England providers as of April 1, 2024.

              Sweden

              Sweden’s Karolinska Ends All Use of Puberty Blockers and Cross-Sex Hormones for Minors Outside of Clinical Studies

              Concerns over medical harm and uncertain benefits result in a major policy shift

              Germany

              “Overall, we still know very little about the development of minors who received puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones due to their gender dysphoria. Many different aspects need to be taken into account, and currently there is a significant lack of solid long-term data," says Professor Dr. Florian Zepf from Jena University Hospital.

              Doesn't sound very positive, or healthy to me.

              And any logical person can instantly recognize that messing around with human biology in this manner is undoubtedly going to have long term effets. We stop a very, very complex process from proceeding naturally and "pretend" that it won't have consequences. Come on, you are not even trying to be serious.

              When you read some of what has been seen by the likes of Mia Hughes, Lionel Shriver it's truly frightening what's going on behind the scenes. We are basically using children as living experiments.

              The whole Trans movement thing is a farce, Social Media has successfully managed to corrupt youths during their most vulnerable stage of life, unfortunately for them they will suffer for the rest of their lives because of the stupidity of others. From what I have read Actual Trans Gender, Dysphoric people do not want the attention that Social Media has to offer.

              1. that one in the corner Silver badge

                Re: Well, ...

                > Social Media has successfully managed to corrupt youths during their most vulnerable stage of life, unfortunately for them they will suffer for the rest of their lives because of the stupidity of others.

                That is the job of Social Media, isn't it? Corrupting youths into extreme political movements of every kind?

                > From what I have read Actual Trans Gender, Dysphoric people do not want the attention that Social Media has to offer.

                Other than the terminally egoistic, does anybody want the attention that Social Media has to offer?

              2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

                Re: Well, ...

                "Germany

                “Overall, we still know very little about the development of minors who received puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones due to their gender dysphoria. Many different aspects need to be taken into account, and currently there is a significant lack of solid long-term data," says Professor Dr. Florian Zepf from Jena University Hospital.

                Doesn't sound very positive, or healthy to me."

                "Doesn't sound very negative, or unhealthy to me" seems to fit as well as your response. In other words, that is probably the most neutral analyses of the limited data it is possible to give without just saying "we don't know".

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Well, ...

            > "American hospitals, for decades, probably over a century, every time they spotted a newborn with "ambiguous genitalia"

            Oh, that's what he was talking about?

            The only connection that I was able to draw was: Male Genitalia Mutilation. I.e. circumcision.

            The US still practices that, don't they?

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Well, ...

              > The only connection that I was able to draw was: Male Genitalia Mutilation. I.e. circumcision.

              A totally pointless and barbaric practice when performed without medical necessity, without consent and without caring what the results might be if it goes wrong.

      3. The Central Scrutinizer Silver badge

        Re: Well, ...

        Fascism is a far right ideology. Your rantings are meaningless.

        1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

          Re: Well, ...

          Fascism is a far right ideology.

          Nope, it really isn't. That's just the way the Overton window has shifted so that for those on the extreme left, anyone towards the centre appears 'far right'.. Which is an overused dogwhistle by the fascist, authoritarians who are hell bent on imposing their views and beliefs on others.

          1. nobody who matters Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            Yes, it <really> is.

            The definition is very specific. Just because you are unable to distinguish between right wing extremism and left wing extremism doesn't change the definition.

            But then, you are well recognised around these parts for being wrong in almost every single post that you make ;)

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Well, ...

              (SIC)Jason Stanley

              In the past, fascist politics would focus on the dominant cultural group. The goal is to make them feel like victims, to make them feel like they’ve lost something and that the thing they’ve lost has been taken from them by a specific enemy, usually some minority out-group or some opposing nation.

              This is why fascism flourishes in moments of great anxiety, because you can connect that anxiety with fake loss. The story is typically that a once-great society has been destroyed by liberalism or feminism or cultural Marxism or whatever, and you make the dominant group feel angry and resentful about the loss of their status and power. Almost every manifestation of fascism mirrors this general narrative.

              From here it is easy to see how the left can be, or currently are, Fascists.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Well, ...

                Every downvote confirms the theory and any lefty that doesn't downvote is simply starting to understand that they have been lied too.

                1. nobody who matters Silver badge

                  Re: Well, ...

                  <....."Every downvote confirms the theory and any lefty that doesn't downvote is simply starting to understand that they have been lied too."....>

                  Does it bollocks!

                  Every downvote confirms that those who think you can have a fascist left wing extremist have absolutely no conception of what actually constitutes fascism, and are just trying to distort the truth of it to deflect attention away from their own far-right extremism. And I say this from the position of someone who is mostly right leaning (though certainly no far-right extremist), but certainly in no way am I a 'lefty'.

            2. Jellied Eel Silver badge

              Re: Well, ...

              The definition is very specific. Just because you are unable to distinguish between right wing extremism and left wing extremism doesn't change the definition.

              Not me guv. But then you've probably formed your belief after listening to parasocial media throwing the term around ad nauseum. Often in an omni-slur, so 'extreme right-wing', MAGA, racists, sexists, misogynists and of course fascists. Don't vote for them, vote for Harris. Don't wear a MAGA hat because you wouldn't want 'anti-fascists' violently assaulting you, would you? NSDAP's goonsquads did much the same with their political opponents.

              But let me help you with a definition-

              https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fascism

              noun

              1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

              So Team Biden locking up political protestors, or attempting to lock up his main political opponent. Or implementing censorship and encouraging deplatforming anyone who dares criticise the establishment. Or imposing extremist rules & regulations on industry & commerce like DEI, or 'green' policies. Oh, and of course DEI policies are often implicitly racist given their focus on quota filling rather than meritocracy.

              But it could be worse. See for example Germany, and their determination to ban AfD because that's just how EU 'democracy' operates. Or Romania, who elected the wrong person, and despite best efforts, still voted for a different wrong person. Or there was Georgia. Or the way the EU's in the process of fining Spain, Portugal, Poland for failing to impose EU censorship rules. Or even the UK, where a lot of people just voted their approval for Free Gear Kier and Labour..

          2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            "Nope, it really isn't. That's just the way the Overton window has shifted so that for those on the extreme left, anyone towards the centre appears 'far right'.."

            And yet, the "right" accuse anyone of not agreeing with them as being "far left", at least in the USA, So it seem they also suffer the exact same delusion you accuse the "left" of having re the "right". So the Overton Window really hasn't moved, it's just that some of the people, the loudest voices mostly, have moved further left AND right, increasing the size of the window, but not it's position.

            1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

              Re: Well, ...

              So it seem they also suffer the exact same delusion you accuse the "left" of having re the "right".

              Mine isn't a delusion, just a deliberate attempt to highlight the way language is being weaponised. Anyone that disagrees with the carefully manufactured 'consensus' is immediately branded 'right wing', 'far right', 'fascist', 'nazi' etc etc even though that might be far from the truth. Plus it's just basic geometry or maths. Stick left/right political views on the X-axis, and the further someone drifts towards the negative on the X-axis, the further to the right someone more positive will appear. So -300 vs -10, and the -10 person would be 'far right'. The reality is of course a lot more complicated and nuanced than the dogwhistle blowers would have people believe. Or maybe it's time the political compass was redrawn onto a sphere.. But according to some, math is apparently 'racist'..

          3. The Central Scrutinizer Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            Do some actual reading. Fascism is a far right ideology, you numpty. I'm not interested in your BS spin on it. It's a fucking fact. hello, Hitler, Mussolini ?

            1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

              Re: Well, ...

              Do some actual reading.

              Well, I have. And I had posted examples and citations, but the mods disappeared those. But if you actually look at Hitler and Mussolini's ideology and policies, they were very different. People that don't understand this just use far-right as a synonym for fascist and are incorrect. And also have a tendency to demonstrate their hate.

      4. nobody who matters Silver badge

        Re: Well, ...

        <.......".....loud mouthed extreme left fascists, yes fascists....".....>

        I think you <really> don't understand what the term 'fascist' actually means.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Well, ...

          And I think that you prefer to ignore what Fascism actually means.

          1. nobody who matters Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            It certainly does NOT mean what several people here seem to think it does.

            And making quotes from other people who also don't actually understand the meaning of the word, doesn't turn the meaning back-to-front.

      5. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: Well, ...

        And exactly what does this have to do with gutting the research that's been feeding the US's pharmaceutical industry etc. for the last decades?

        1. Dan 55 Silver badge

          Re: Well, ...

          It doesn't. Anyone can see cutting scientific research is a bad thing which is indefensible, so they are flooding the zone with shit (Bannon).

      6. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Well, ...

        Male or female circumcision ?

        Just asking.

    2. that one in the corner Silver badge

      Re: Well, ...

      > anti-male androgyny

      Huh?

      Have we found someone who spent the sixties shouting at those damn hippies to get their hair cut and angrily turns off the radio every time Bowie's "Rebel, Rebel" is played?

      (Was going to put "did you mean to say ..." but why help the idiots sharpen their weapons)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Well, ...

        I went to California a few years back. I walked into the Taco Bell to get something with a friend, and I had to pee.. so I went over to the bathrooms and looked for the right one. Women on the right. "Others" on the left. An icon for a woman, and an icon (circular, some concentric circles) of a target on the left. They were placed in the right position... so I took the one on the left.

        I've told people since _forever_ that if they don't know which bathroom to use, use the men's room. Women bitch and complain about everything. Men don't care. So just go into that one, do your business, and go about your day - no one will care.

        It seems California took that as: Remove the "men" group of humans.

        Really though, this comment was meant as: in situations of hiring, men are cast out. "Oh, we've got enough people with penises." "Oh, we need someone with darker skin. Sorry." I've been on interview teams - lots of times - and it's very, very strange how a majority group in the United States, and a strong majority group of topic College graduates, makes up somewhere between zero and ten percent of the candidates being interviewed. Something is statistically not right. (Then you hear stories, too, which jibe with the apparent scenarios. Even if they don't in reality, they all seem to fit together - creating the conclusion: men, and especially white men, are strongly discriminated against in hiring. They can't even land an interview, unless(!!!) they're a referral by someone currently at the company.)

        When this topic comes up, HR teams simply clam up. However, they don't need to say much: Federal regulations, until trump, required hiring a percentage of non-white/male candidates, at comparable pay rates -- or stop hiring altogether. If you can't find such qualified candidates, then to continue acquiring the skills that you need, you have to additionally acquire other employees at comparable pay rates for comparably lower skill. Lets repeat as necessary: Hiring on the basis of race or sex is illegal discrimination.

    3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Well, ...

      It's news to me that 100% of people voted for Trump but I suppose it says so on his Trump Social thing so you'll believe it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Well, ...

        100% of Trump voters did vote for Trump.

        No one cares about the other people because they voted for some DEI, Victimhood schooling, cackling nobody.

        1. Gary Stewart Silver badge

          Re: Well, ...

          An excellent example of MAGA (Manipulating America's Gullible Aholes) "thinking" AKA garbage in garbage out. All gathered in from the great garbage out mouth himself Agolf Twitler.

          1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

            Re: Well, ...

            Or Poe's law in operation. It really is coming into its own these days.

  7. HuBo Silver badge
    Alien

    Science in the <s>public</s> interest of the for-profit Caliphate

    Yeah, can't let 'em trans woke migrant cybersecurity tatted BBQ pet-dog-&-cat fentanyl-tunnel burrowing boffins dictate contributions-to-knowledge willy-nilly to our new-and-improved greatestestest of ideological autocracies like that! No.

    It is the biological nature of scientists to be docile, adjusting their publications to follow our oppressive edicts, and torturously re-educated when necessary, period, semi-colon, exclamation mark. They can't contradict the über alles "truth" of the all-knowing State Apparatus, evidently, and shall face being Gallileoed and Turinged if they dare. We are confident no boffin worth its salt wants to be remembered in history like either of those, Einstein, Casimir, Volterra and the likes, atrocity-mongering traitors to the repression!

    For now we just point blank cut-off their funding until they demonstrate stratospheric gratitude, bow down in reverence to our glorious splendor, wear three-piece suits (for men) or miniskirts and hair extensions (for girls), as biologically required, and reproducibly prove their loyalty with appropriately backdoored experiments and mathematics, that pass mandatory asscrack-caliper comptrols.

    And for those who just looove to bitch and moan about it too much, we've generously offered, in a fantabulous DOGE brownshirt wanker way, by email, self-teleportation to smashing superposed bunk beds, entangled in our luxurious GITMO and El Salvadorean resorts!

    It's a National Shmience-Я-US Professional Wrestling Orange Madministration Emergency that we must address right now or millions of children will die every day and night, during the week and on weekends too, again. That's the shtruth. And that's that, full stop, hyphen, punctuation mark, and chihuahuas!

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Science in the <s>public</s> interest of the for-profit Caliphate

      "Nurse, he's out of bed again."

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Equity has no place in society

    Equality of opportunity, not equality in outcome (a.k.a. equity).

    The former results in the best person for the job. The latter results in planes falling out of the sky.

    Ironically, equity is exactly the type of "long march through the institutions" style policy that an enemy state would seek to embed within a rival country. Its excision doesn't quite chime with Trump being a Russian asset.

    1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

      Re: Equity has no place in society

      Ironically, equity is exactly the type of "long march through the institutions" style policy that an enemy state would seek to embed within a rival country. Its excision doesn't quite chime with Trump being a Russian asset.

      Indeed, but then the Russiagate hoax was created by a sore loser. There's a lot of cognitive dissonance, along with a blanket refusal to see the obvious. The people whining about fat being trimmed are the fat, so obviously they're upset. The DEI industry is/was worth billions, and those activists don't want to lose that cash. But it's also something that's implicity racist and discriminatory. A fun example is California (of course) and their quota policies for tax bungs. It's a rather convoluted quota but not a quota system, and has to be that way because discriminating for hiring is still illegal.. as a number of DEI-related cases have ruled.

      It's also why this news is fun. NSF first and foremost should be doling out grant money and managing that. Encouraging STEM education is a good thing, but arguably not a thing the NSF should be focusing on. There's a Department of Education for that.

    2. cmdrklarg
      Stop

      Re: Equity has no place in society

      "Equity" *is* equality of opportunity. The nice thing about equity is that it includes *everyone*, including right wing white males.

      Equity acknowledges that for everyone to have equality of opportunity that there will be some that will require more assistance to reach that goal (i.e. someone coming from poverty will need more assistance than the trust fund kid).

      That poor kid might have the right aptitude for keeping the "planes from falling out of the sky". We'll never know if we don't give them a chance.

      Of course, I am speaking to someone who has been indoctrinated into thinking that the scary acronym DEI is something that they shouldn't like. As if monoculture, favoritism, and alienation is somehow better than diversity, equity, and inclusion.

      The Florida Orange Man may not be a Russian asset, but he certainly qualifies as a useful idiot for them.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Equity has no place in society

        "Equity acknowledges that for everyone to have equality of opportunity that there will be some that will require more assistance to reach that goal (i.e. someone coming from poverty will need more assistance than the trust fund kid).

        That poor kid might have the right aptitude for keeping the "planes from falling out of the sky". We'll never know if we don't give them a chance."

        No, you've misunderstood DEI. These policies apply to someone's immutable characteristics, not their socioeconomic background. That's what makes them so divisive and ridiculously unfair.

        Take the following real world example, whereby college entry requirements are being adjusted, depending on a person's race. In that case, an underprivileged kid of the "wrong" race could be discriminated against.

        According to research from Princeton University, students who identify as Asian must score 140 points higher on the SAT than whites and 450 points higher than Blacks to have the same chance of admission to private colleges.

        https://eu.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/2022/11/03/race-based-college-admissions-and-its-impact-on-asian-americans/69614232007/

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