The initial meeting with the IRB where they proposed ridiculous and irrational changes to the consent forms was strikingly reminiscent of every conversation I've had in a third world country where someone was asking me for a bribe, but couldn't say it directly.
I've noticed how often big projects will allocate something like 5% of their budget for a few things like 'bioethicists' and 'community' grants; you never seem to hear about what they produce or what important findings they make, but the money does get spent...
