Everything for Hire

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On campuses nationwide, professors and administrators have passionately debated whether their universities should accept money for research from tobacco companies. But not at Virginia Commonwealth University, a public institution in Richmond, Va.

That is largely because hardly any faculty members or students there know that there is something to debate — a contract with extremely restrictive terms that the university signed in 2006 to do research for Philip Morris USA, the nation’s largest tobacco company and a unit of Altria Group.

ALAN FINDER, New York Times, May 22, 2008

I heard an interview with Tim Shorrock (on his new book Spies for Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing) and he said intelligence reports ought to be seen as covered with corporate stickers, like Nascar jackets. Apparently, at least some research is no different.

Posted in: Economics, Professional

About Ray Watkins

I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. I grew up in Houston, as a part of what we only half-jokingly call the Cajun Diaspora. At a certain point during the Regan administration, I had to leave, so I served in the Peace Corps, Philippines, from 1987-89. I didn't want to return to the United States just yet, so I moved to Paris, France, where I lived for three years or so. I then moved back to Austin, Texas, where I had received my Masters Degree, and (eventually) began a Ph.D., which I completed in 1999. I spent a year at Temple University and then accepted a position at Eastern Illinois University where I worked until May of 2006. I now work exclusively on line (although that may change) for Johns Hopkins, the Art Institute Online, and Smarthinking.com. I can be reached most easily via email: raywatkins [that 'at' symbol] writinginthewild.com

One Thought on “Everything for Hire”

  1. Aaron Wakling on May 23, 2008 at 7:46 am said:

    Good Blog. I will continue reading it in the future. Nice layout too.

    Aaron Wakling

    Reply↓

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