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13 Apr 03 - 08:27 PM (#932710) Subject: BS: What's a think Tank? From: Walking Eagle I'm serious about this question. What is a think tank? What do they do? How do they support themselves? You 'catter critters can be as creative as you wish with this answer, but I'd like an answer to my question somewhere in all the BS. |
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13 Apr 03 - 08:28 PM (#932712) Subject: BS: What's a think Tank? From: Walking Eagle Sorry, I meant to press BS Non music for the tag. W.E. |
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13 Apr 03 - 08:53 PM (#932723) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Amos WE: It's an organization that accrues a lot of credentials through academic, social or political connections and then sells its ability to write analytical white papers on hard questions. This lends credibility to the analysis. Their customers include political groups and large corporations, governments, departments of defense, etc. depending ontheir spheres of expertise. In other words they are brains for hire. A |
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13 Apr 03 - 09:45 PM (#932747) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: mack/misophist And a few of them have endowments. Otherwise that's and excellent definition. |
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13 Apr 03 - 09:56 PM (#932751) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: GUEST,Rapaire In other words, a high-end bullshit session someone writes up. |
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13 Apr 03 - 11:22 PM (#932796) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: mack/misophist But very high end. |
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14 Apr 03 - 01:31 AM (#932843) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Cluin How does it differ from a brain trust? |
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14 Apr 03 - 02:28 AM (#932866) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: GUEST,Boab A brain trust can be impartial---a think tank NEVER is! |
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14 Apr 03 - 02:53 AM (#932881) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Cluin And what's a "tinkle tank"? |
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14 Apr 03 - 05:54 AM (#932935) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: mooman Rarely in my experience a place where any real thinking is done. But always at a high level and with one or two "brains for hire" to lend it bogus credibility. moo |
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14 Apr 03 - 06:25 AM (#932946) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Mr Red a high-end bullshit session Sounds like conspitation to me (and I am being serious in a metaphorical modus vocalis). |
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14 Apr 03 - 07:52 AM (#932983) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: diesel Amos is almost spot on - but I would substitute 'organisation' for 'group of people'. Sometimes a think-tank is brought together for a specific task and could include amongst the experts above, others such as affected persons (if a crime-rate group for example) or lateral thinkers or public personlities etc. It is true that some organisations specialise (and charge loads) in these advisory areas, but not all think-tanks are organisations. rgds James |
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14 Apr 03 - 05:13 PM (#933423) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Walking Eagle Do they do things that have to be tested, such as theorums (sp?). How are their assumptions and results questioned? |
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14 Apr 03 - 06:31 PM (#933472) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Amos Depends on the field the're working in , WE -- often they are just paid for intellectualizing about things that cannot be tested, such as long-term trends in technology, or an analysis of risks from foreign terrorist organizations, or the potential hazards of genetic engineering, for example. A |
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14 Apr 03 - 08:29 PM (#933554) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Walking Eagle So companies/governments pay out money for a highly qualified but untested opinions? |
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14 Apr 03 - 11:46 PM (#933653) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Bee-dubya-ell Probably the best-known think tank is the RAND Corporation (RAND is a contraction of "research and development"). They've been around since 1946. In fact, the term "think tank" was probably coined to describe RAND Corp. Here's a link to their info page:click here. Bruce |
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15 Apr 03 - 08:28 PM (#934354) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Don Firth Amos's definition sounds about right to me. The impression I get of most (if not all) think-tanks is that when some politician or political group comes up with a highly controversial or generally half-assed idea, they go to a think-tank and say, "We want to do X, Y, and Z. Rationalize it for us so we can sell it to the public." A bit like an advertising agency, but with lots and lots of advanced degrees. Often they have "Foundation" somewhere in their name, which seems to give them credibility and an aura of non-partisanship. Don Firth |
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15 Apr 03 - 11:20 PM (#934442) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: wysiwyg Can think tanks launch smart bombs? ~S~ |
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15 Apr 03 - 11:41 PM (#934453) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Amos Certainly. And some tanks can bomb smart people, too! Definitely a multi-variable proposition! A |
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16 Apr 03 - 01:10 AM (#934486) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: NicoleC Political think tanks invariably only publish thoughts which rabidly support their political agenda, even the ones that claim to be apolitical. To do otherwise would hurt their funding. There are also a few think tanks companies for hire, which tend to be usually scientific or engineering oriented, composed of extremely well-educated dreamers who don't let current technological abilities get in the way to their hypothetical solution. Sounds like nice work if you can get it. |
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16 Apr 03 - 03:07 AM (#934521) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: stevetheORC If Tank's could fink they would not go to war!!!! De Orc |
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16 Apr 03 - 07:43 PM (#935058) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: Walking Eagle Get paid for dreaming? I'd be a trillionaire! My uji says that I am an expert at dreaming. |
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16 Apr 03 - 07:58 PM (#935071) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: GUEST,Q There are a handful of good think tanks, but most are just two or more guys who have a definite political opinion and are used by newspapers to add "credence" to their editorials. |
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16 Apr 03 - 08:23 PM (#935090) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: McGrath of Harlow I suppose if, by some mischance, the think tank didn't come up with the result they'd been hired to approve, it would have two consequences. They wouldn't get hired next time; and a new think tank would be called in, to do the job the first one had fallen down on. Lots of them to choose from. World Press Review Index of International Think-Tanks and Research Organizations |
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16 Apr 03 - 09:27 PM (#935120) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: GUEST,Q Just a short list, Malcolm. One used at least once a week by the Canadian newspapers owned by Asper is the right wing Fraser Institute of Vancouver, B. C. There are many not on the list you gave. |
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17 Apr 03 - 08:18 AM (#935341) Subject: RE: What's a think Tank? From: GUEST,Mr Red Walking Eagle - so it's: Tanks for the memory (I think) |