Comments on: Breaking! Penn State says they are exempt from Freedom of Information Act

By: Mighty Me

Mighty Me — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:31:34 +0000

This is just from a “intro” but it is likely correct. FOIA is mostly with government records, so you are unlikely to get much beyond that.

“Q. Who can I send a FOIA request to?
A. The FOIA applies to Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices; federal regulatory agencies; and federal corporations. Congress, the federal courts, and parts of the Executive Office of the President that function solely to advise and assist the President, are NOT subject to the FOIA. Records obtainable under the FOIA include all “agency records” – such as print documents, photographs, videos, maps, e-mail and electronic records – that were created or obtained by a Federal agency and are, at the time the request is filed, in that agency’s possession and control. Agencies are required by FOIA to maintain information about how to make a FOIA request, including a handbook, reference guide, indexes, and descriptions of information locator systems. The best place to get this information is on the agencies’ websites. Doing research to determine the right office to send the FOIA request to within the right component of the right agency will make your FOIA efforts more productive.”

I think the FOIA would need to go to the NSF, though from them I think you are unlikely to get anything more than forms relating to grants (applications, renewals, progress reports). So I disagree that federal grant receivers are subject to FOIA, though I haven’t looked at every place such a requirement could be noted. If you desire http://www.nsf.gov/policies/foia.jsp

By: Mighty Me

Mighty Me — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:21:20 +0000

I actually worked at PSU about 10 years ago. It has a bit of an odd structure, as I think (you should check the exact words) that it’s a *public* institution with a *private* “Board of Directors”, which in practise means whatever they want.

I’ve also had problems (as a researcher) with determining whether (say) an NSF grant makes the attained knowledge therein “public domain” (as required with federal employees), and in general the whole bureaucracy with grant agencies and university overhead is an accountant’s nightmare (or dream, if you are corrupt).

By: David Smith

David Smith — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:33:54 +0000

I guess it is actually the Penn State Nittany LIARS

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:45:07 +0000

Thank you for the references. Ringo’s speculations in “The Last Centurian” on the hit or miss Tranzi response to a Flu epidemic was born out during this years H1N1 epidemic, with H5N1 sitting in the wings thank god we got a dress rehearsal. Maybe things will go better next time.
Ray

By: Tucci78

Tucci78 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:20:44 +0000

Ah, another fan of Ringo & Kratman's Yellow Eyes. In August 2002, Ringo had promulgated a very good blog post debunking AGW, and in his more recent novel The Last Centurion he gave some considerable amplification on the subject. I think it is a mistake to differentiate between "right wing socialists" and those of the so-called left wing. You might do better to heed the Nolan diagram (to hell with Jerry Pournelle's older and explicitly statist chart). Differentiate instead between authoritarian and libertarian in Nolan's axes and you will understand that the difference between the "right wing socialists" and their blood brothers on the left is of no significance whatsoever.

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:04:14 +0000

“Tranzim is the successor ideology to failed and discredited Marxist-Leninsm. Many of the most prominent Tranzis are, in fact “former” members of various communist parties, especially European communist parties………..One of the difficult things about analyzing Tranzis and their work is that they are not a conspiracy. What they are is a consensus…….a fairly cohesive consensus on certain ultimate core issues…… at the highest level……they want an end to national sovereignty and they want global governance…… EU, International Criminal Court, IPCC/Kyoto Accords……”

by
John Ringo
Tom Kratman

Tucci78,
Rings true to me. They are not simple right wing socialists, nor are their goals limited national ones. But what do I know I’m just a Blacksmith and lack the education to argue you with my own words.
Ray

By: Tucci78

Tucci78 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:23:25 +0000

Even were the good citizens to fail of pursuit in this matter, you can be good and goddam certain that the Republicans will not. There’s the scent of blood in the water.

By: Tucci78

Tucci78 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:10:24 +0000

Tsk. They’re a national party. They’re socialists. With their strong link to the unions (and the National Educational Association has never been anything but a labor union, functioning in collective bargaining, and not a true professional association), they’re arguably a “Workers’” political force.

Want to call them the National Socialist American Workers’ Party instead?
–

By: JOHN

JOHN — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:42:09 +0000

Here’s your Penn State response to the initial investigation…they’re going to investigate more….I can figure that they will continue to “investigate” until everyone forgets about this, then go on their merry way.

http://algorelied.com/

By: Taruni

Taruni — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:04:33 +0000

An upright and honest person and entity would take the stand that despite any legal walls we can build and refuse to give the information freely and without hiding and/or deleting any part of it
we shall open up our records and complete archives to anyone who wants them.We shall certify under oath that we have NOT withheld anything and we shall answer all your queries.
TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE WE SHALL NOT HIDE BEHIND ANY LAWS.
We live and survive on YOUR MONEY and we owe you the duty to be honest with you and NOT TO MANY WHO HAVE AGENDAS SINISTER OR NOT.
That is the least any person or entity receiving any public money should declare.