Comments on: Army Researcher’s Alleged Anthrax Attack Raises Concerns Over Biodefense Labs http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/ 80beats is DISCOVER's news aggregator, weaving together the choicest tidbits from the best articles covering the day\'s most compelling topics. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:32:12 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Erik Chapman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/comment-page-1/#comment-18288 Erik Chapman Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/#comment-18288 Facilities that do animal testing are inherently self-selecting for sociopaths and psychopaths. It's notorious that serial killers typically start with animals. Whether Ivans was involved or not this was bound to happen and there's a good chance that it will happen again. A correct screening process wouldn't hire anybody that would want to work there. Selecting for people that can torture animals day in and day out without pity and giving them access to the most dangerous bioweapons known to man is a really, really bad idea. Facilities that do animal testing are inherently self-selecting for sociopaths and psychopaths. It’s notorious that serial killers typically start with animals.

Whether Ivans was involved or not this was bound to happen and there’s a good chance that it will happen again.

A correct screening process wouldn’t hire anybody that would want to work there. Selecting for people that can torture animals day in and day out without pity and giving them access to the most dangerous bioweapons known to man is a really, really bad idea.

]]> By: Eliza Strickland http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/comment-page-1/#comment-3342 Eliza Strickland Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:24:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/#comment-3342 Steve Davies: You're quite right, that was an editing error. I've put an "alleged" into the headline. Steve Davies: You’re quite right, that was an editing error. I’ve put an “alleged” into the headline.

]]> By: Tom Derain http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/comment-page-1/#comment-2383 Tom Derain Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:37:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/#comment-2383 DOD is spending (mis-spending?) millions and millions each year in the former Soviet countries to improve biosecurity and prevent the theft of biological materials. They are also engaged with former weapons scientists from the former UsSR. If it took 7 years to catch Ivins, who was right under their nose in the US, how long would it take DOD to catch any mischievious activities of the hundreds of US contractors working now side by side with former USSR bioweapons scientists? Ivins had a government clearance, was commended, rewarded by DOD -- and it took way too long to catch him. It is frightening to think how the millions from the US DOD are being misused in these former soviet countries at the moment due to poor judgment, poor oversight, naivete and corruption. DOD is spending (mis-spending?) millions and millions each year in the former Soviet countries to improve biosecurity and prevent the theft of biological materials. They are also engaged with former weapons scientists from the former UsSR. If it took 7 years to catch Ivins, who was right under their nose in the US, how long would it take DOD to catch any mischievious activities of the hundreds of US contractors working now side by side with former USSR bioweapons scientists? Ivins had a government clearance, was commended, rewarded by DOD — and it took way too long to catch him. It is frightening to think how the millions from the US DOD are being misused in these former soviet countries at the moment due to poor judgment, poor oversight, naivete and corruption.

]]> By: Steve Davies http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/comment-page-1/#comment-2268 Steve Davies Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:06:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/08/04/army-researchers-anthrax-attack-raises-concerns-over-biodefense-labs/#comment-2268 "Army Researcher’s Anthrax Attack Raises Concerns Over Biodefense Labs" It should say "suspected of anthrax attacks." The guy was never charged, indicted, convicted. Maybe he did it, maybe he didn't. But until it's "proven," you can't write it like it's fact “Army Researcher’s Anthrax Attack Raises Concerns Over Biodefense Labs”

It should say “suspected of anthrax attacks.”

The guy was never charged, indicted, convicted.

Maybe he did it, maybe he didn’t. But until it’s “proven,” you can’t write it like it’s fact

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