johncocker Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 actually I'm starting to think maybe the judges were right ,having just read .. Six days prior to the earthquake, when the head of Italy's Civil Protection Agency, Bernando De Bernardinis, spoke on behalf of the scientists, telling people that there was no danger of a big quake, they did NOT say he was wrong, No, they agreed to his version. Whilst they were fully aware that the danger and risks of a big quake were high, very high they decided not to give the public the full picture.so They were not scientists doing research, they were members of the National Commission for the Forecast and Prevention of Major Risks That was their job, to forecast major risks in order to take preventive measures. The meeting in which they were supposed to discuss the risks of the earthquakes had been set up by the head of the civil protection, Guido Bertolaso (Berlusconi’s right hand man) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 actually I'm starting to think maybe the judges were right ,having just read .. Six days prior to the earthquake, when the head of Italy's Civil Protection Agency, Bernando De Bernardinis, spoke on behalf of the scientists, telling people that there was no danger of a big quake, they did NOT say he was wrong, No, they agreed to his version. Whilst they were fully aware that the danger and risks of a big quake were high, very high they decided not to give the public the full picture.so They were not scientists doing research, they were members of the National Commission for the Forecast and Prevention of Major Risks That was their job, to forecast major risks in order to take preventive measures. The meeting in which they were supposed to discuss the risks of the earthquakes had been set up by the head of the civil protection, Guido Bertolaso (Berlusconi’s right hand man) The transcripts of the meeting show they warned the politician in charge there was a small risk of an Earthquake, not no risk. They also correctly stated the fact there had been tremors did not indicate any increased risk of a major earthquake. If the politician has then told the public there is no risk, thats down to him. I seem to remember scientists getting in trouble in this country for coming out publicly and saying their advice was ignored, and they got vilified. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sibon Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 The transcripts of the meeting show they warned the politician in charge there was a small risk of an Earthquake, not no risk. They also correctly stated the fact there had been tremors did not indicate any increased risk of a major earthquake. If the politician has then told the public there is no risk, thats down to him. I seem to remember scientists getting in trouble in this country for coming out publicly and saying their advice was ignored, and they got vilified. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. What do you think that the seismologists will say next time there is any chance at all of significant seismic activity? They aren't going to pull any punches with their advice, in case they get sent down. Watch out for frequent evacuations of Italian towns. Holiday in Naples anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 What do you think that the seimologists will say next time there is any chance at all of significant seismic activity? They aren't going to pull any punches with their advice, in case they get sent down. I don't think they will say much, given I saw some or even all of them not going to jail resigned in protest from that committee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert_Baehr Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Well, the Italians have got a track record of persecuting scientists. Three centuries after Galileo, Italian judge shows an inability to understand science " ... As members of an official risk commission, they attended a meeting held in the Apennines’ town six days before the earthquake hit. Asked if a major temblor was imminent in view of the swarm of recent tremors, they said the risk was clearly raised but no detailed prediction was possible. Unfortunately for them, the meeting was followed by a press conference, at which civil protection department and local authorities firmed up the scientists’ remarks, stating minor shocks did not increase the risk of a major one. Did members of the civil protection authority and the local authority go to jail too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spilldig Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 The government should go to jail for wasting taxpayers money on experts who arn't experts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Earthquakes are impossible to predict. How on earth can you predict such things? It's ridiculous. Yes you can detect tremors and take readings, but to predict actual places and times is impossible. I know a lot of people died in the subsequent earthquake in this instance which is horrible. But to blame scientists for not predicting it, is plain stupidity. The result of course will be that the scientific community won't embark on anything like such a mission in the future. It's not worth the risk of jail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Italy disaster head Luciano Maiani quits over L'Aquila http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20039769 The head of Italy's disaster body, Luciano Maiani, has resigned in protest at prison sentences passed on seven colleagues over the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila. Six scientists and an ex-official were convicted of multiple manslaughter for giving a falsely reassuring statement. Prof Maiani, a physicist, said the Serious Risks Commission could not work "in such difficult conditions". I suspect every working seismologist in Italy will be applying to immigrate to a more sensible country. Michael Fish would've got 10 years for his negligence in 1987 if the same craziness operated here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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