Comments on: McCain’s planetariophobia

By: Planetarium Madness « One Astronomer's Noise

Planetarium Madness « One Astronomer's Noise — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:30:19 +0000

[...] Also, don’t piss off the astronomers. [...]

By: Is Conservatism Less Compatible With Science Than Religion? « Camels With Hammers

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:17:05 +0000

[...] conservatives. John McCain, the leader of the Republican party, denigrated astronomy education by calling a star-projector for a planetarium “foolishness” and “an overhead projecto….” His hand-picked successor suggested that fruit fly research should be defunded, and [...]

By: Petty. Me. Uk. » San Francisco, October 2008 - It Was A Trip

Petty. Me. Uk. » San Francisco, October 2008 - It Was A Trip — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:13:23 +0000

[...] Chamber of Horrors, with its displays of famous serial killers and methods of execution. The recent idiotic (or deliberately misleading) comment from Republican presidential hopeful John McCain about… reminded me that I want to go to another one. They’re probably improved since [...]

By: Don’t Call it a Comeback! | The Perfect Silence

Don’t Call it a Comeback! | The Perfect Silence — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:01:56 +0000

[...] projector was a prime-A #1 example of wasteful government spending. Nancy Atkinson, MSNBC and Phil Plait* wrote great articles about the issue, and were nice enough to mention my post about that bru [...]

By: Stars, Bears, and Flies « The Liquid Thinker

Stars, Bears, and Flies « The Liquid Thinker — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:02:55 +0000

[...] and erratic pit bulls in a china shop, McCain has crashed into astronomy, calling planetariums “foolishness”, toppled biological and conservation bear research, quipping that he doesn’t know if [...]

By: Problems with Palin - Page 11 - Science Forums

Problems with Palin - Page 11 - Science Forums — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:26:05 +0000

[...] to a man who mocks research into bear DNA and calls a multimillion dollar educational tool an "overhead projector", from a party that ridicules people with Parkinson’s because they want more stem cell [...]

By: /var/log » Blog Archive » The last thing you need…

/var/log » Blog Archive » The last thing you need… — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:37:09 +0000

[...] a $3 million dollar “overhead projector”. Just for your reference it is not the type of overhead projector he was thinking of. Why bully just science when you take a swing at education [...]

By: Freelance Minion

Freelance Minion — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:39:44 +0000

While I agree this is another example of McCain trying to score political points that falls flat, I have to say I’m another to ask whether he actually understands exactly how complex a modern planetarium projector system is. The guy reportedly doesn’t understand email and my WWII vet grandpa was all over that before he passed away.

By: The Gist

The Gist — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:48:29 +0000

[...] nearly instantaneously by the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Sky and Telescope, Wired Science, Bad Astronomy, Cosmic Variance, Boing Boing, and Gizmodo, among [...]

By: Repost: McCain’s planetariophobia | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:11:13 +0000

[...] I originally posted this entry on October 8, but quite a few people are saying that it won’t load for them; they get errors or blank [...]

By: Make McCain see stars | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

Make McCain see stars | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:28:28 +0000

[...] Obviously, McCain is not up on his intertoobs. [...]

By: Projector vs. Projector « Robot Pirate Ninja

Projector vs. Projector « Robot Pirate Ninja — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:19:04 +0000

[...] UPDATE: Another excellent article on the topic. [...]

By: This Week In Conservatism | PoliticsMuch.com

This Week In Conservatism | PoliticsMuch.com — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:02:05 +0000

[...] Exhibit II: I’m pretty sure, given the level of prideful ignorance and raw hatred on display at GOP rallies these days, that even if McCain did know the “projector” he used to diss Obama was a cosmic space-time learning machine for humans, he wouldn’t have cared, in part because he truly does not comprehend the technical advances made in FX/Graphics in the last four decades: [...]

By: This Week In Conservatism | News Fu

This Week In Conservatism | News Fu — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:08:59 +0000

By: This Week In Conservatism | Bloggers For Change

This Week In Conservatism | Bloggers For Change — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:06:25 +0000

By: Todd W.

Todd W. — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:13:19 +0000

Just an added note to all those who are supporting McCain because of his anti-earmark stance.

1) On the amendment to Senate resolution 70, an earmark moratorium, McCain was a co-sponsor with several other senators, among which was…Sen. Obama. Both McCain and Obama voted yes on a moratorium.
2) Despite McCain’s cries against earmarks and would, as president, veto any legislation that came across his desk containing earmarks, he voted yes on the recent bailout legislation, even though it contained quite a number of earmarks. I dunno, but, well, it seems kinda hypocritical to me to be so gung-ho about quelling earmarks, but not having the strength of character to follow through and vote no on a bill that contains earmarks.

Maybe it’s just me.

By: TheWalruss

TheWalruss — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:39:29 +0000

One of the things I like most about Obama is that he’s straight-up about mistakes. Adding accountability seems to be high-up on his agenda for reform, and he leads by example. My goodness, how refreshing!
McCain/Palin aren’t really on par, from what I’ve read. Biden, I’m not so sure – but I’m sure Barack can kick him in line.

By: My-Name-is-Kenneth

My-Name-is-Kenneth — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:33:06 +0000

Whether Bush stole the election in 2000 or not, just keep this in mind: HALF the voters in the USA voted for him TWICE.

If McCain wins, I won’t be completely surprised. Digusted at the overall stupidity of Americans, yes, and fearful for what may happen to the rest of the world, but not completely surprised.

Hope y’all enjoy moose burgers with your new brown shirts.

By: frogkins

frogkins — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:58:52 +0000

I stumbled on your conversation here quite by accident, but I have found it fascinating and very informative.
I am an outsider to your situation both geographically (I live in France, though I am not French) and intellectually (I shall admit right away that I am a Classicist), but I agree entirely with the criticism made of the apparently anti-science and anti-education remarks of Mr. McCain (because even if he did not intend them that way, that is certainly how they came across). for me, it is typical of a deep vein of anti-intellectualism in the United States that was already there in the 19th century, but has evolved now into an alarming discourse which obviously places learning and education at the bottom of some sort of hierarchy of values. this is more blatant on the Republican side, because of the support it gets from the Christian fundamentalists, who attract the most attention (and are important enough, as is said above, for the Republican candidate to have to pander to them), but I have even Democratic friends in the US of A who make disdainful comments to me about ‘French intellectuals’, which is effectively a different facet of the same anti-intellectualism.
such a wide spectrum of a country (and it is moving that way even here) being so dismissive of education and intellectual achievement almost defies explanation. when asked by people, in America or elsewhere, why on earth I studied something like Ancient Greek, I always reply, because it teaches me to think.
it seems that too many people have come to the conclusion that being able to think is an irrelevant skill, and that is more than a great pity.
nevertheless, it is heartening to see in your conversation here so many people who do care about these things! for what it is worth, you have my support!

By: Glenn Becker

Glenn Becker — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:55:16 +0000

“The honorable thing for him to do now is to admit he was wrong, admit he mischaracterized both the planetarium and Obama’s stance, and then issue a public apology to planetarians and science-lovers across the country.”

Ay, there’s the (or a, anyway) rub: unfortunately we are deep in a “no responsibility” gravity well. I’m not sure when we entered it, but my (cough) conservative guess would be around 1980, when our first animatronic president, that hyper-pomaded mummy who has been inexplicably beatified by people who get hard-ons from things like union-busting, I’m talkin’ Ronald Reagan, took office.

At any rate, I feel like the last time I heard a political figure admit to any kind of mistake was probably some time in the late Silurian.

Honor is dead, at least in government, and has been replaced by the bottom line.

By: Celtic_Evolution

Celtic_Evolution — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:55:11 +0000

@ t

The fact remains that a planetarium is a LOCAL attraction. It should be paid for with LOCAL money.

OK… we’ve heard this argument before, straight up libertarianism… not going to debate it further… but THEN you go on to say:

Does anyone think that it is worth 30 teachers’ salaries for a year to have a new projector in a planetarium?

So, besides the fact that you present a fallacious false dichotomy, (it’s not an either / or thing… and you used “teachers” to gain emotional, sympathetic support, a low tactic), you confuse me by stating that a local educational facility like a museum shouldn’t be funded by federal funds, but local educational facilities like public schools should be… hmmm… I’m confused… seems like a contradiction to me.

I can’t even call you a libertarian at this point… at least they’re more consistent.

By: Steven Charles Raine

Steven Charles Raine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:25:12 +0000

The Bad Astronomer, Dr Phil Plait wrote :

“The comments on my statements have been all over the place, from support to some fairly ridiculous complaints. My favorites have involved something along the line of, “Where in the Constitution does it say the federal government has to send money to planetaria?”

Good question. But where does it say the government will repair roads, provide clean water, create public schools, fund the space program?

Look: there are some things the government does for the greater good. This is where libertarians and I part company. Government isn’t always bad. In many cases, it takes the money it gets in taxes and does fantastic things with it, like sending probes to Mercury [& fundingplanetariums - SCR!] and funding autism research. It makes the roads drivable, and makes sure companies don’t pollute our air (well, it used to do that). You can complain all you want that earmarks get abused — and they certainly do — but they also get used to fund projects that are starved for cash, and that richly deserve to have life breathed into them.”

Well said! Hear! Hear! & Seconded by me.
(Or no doubt now 500 & fifty-seconded! )

That is 100 % correct and I couldn’t have put it any better.

By: Steven Charles Raine

Steven Charles Raine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:10:03 +0000

David_the_Astronomer said on October 9th, 2008 at 8:44 pm :

“Ok. Here are the straight facts. Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy are required to take a course in celestial navigation. My money says McCain flunked it and he’s now simply getting even with the heavens. (That part is opinion.)”

Well that sounds like the only possible reason he could have for disliking them so much to me! You may very well be right there!

Mind you “..just getting even …’ is too kind a way of putting such a vindictive, petty, downright dumb attitude.

Gee, I sure hope Obama wins.

By: Steven Charles Raine

Steven Charles Raine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:04:39 +0000

As someone who first got into astronomy and learned so much and was so inspired through the Adelaide Planetarium out atMawsonLake sSA I’m going to add my voice those who are outraged, appalled and disgusted by McCain’s anti-astronomy, anti-science, anti-knowledge views.

Hating planetaria of all things?? Words fail me.

I nerver liked MCcCain and despised his party tobegin with but this is just staggering.

How the blazes can any American with even half a brain or even a quarter of a love of science or wonder even think of voting for that fool?

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:28:06 +0000

All the science aside, given how many people focus on the fact that Mr. McCain has lied in this “planetarium case”, I find it useful to note that Mr. Obama uses the same tactics, at least in campaign he runs in Florida (eg. he states that McCain has killed the immigration reform, while in reality he was one of the main sponsor of that bill – see http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12341739).

Not living in the United States, I’m don’t follow the presidential campaign very closely, so I can’t compare the dirtiness of the two campaigns myself. However, my opinion based on experience of living in a “post-communist”, East-European country is: politicians do lie – and quite often.