Comments on: You could use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true

By: Carol James

Carol James — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:15:23 +0000

I happened to turn on CNN during Obama’s speech from the Rose Garden on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Obama said he submitted a bill to Congress in September to give businesses tax break incentives to hire veterans but Republicans voted it down (possibly it was part of the larger jobs bill at that time), but Congress will be given a second chance to vote on the veterans element this week. The bill will cost the U.S. nothing but will help put returning veterans back to work. My husband viewed Obama’s speech on CNN’s web site Tuesday, Nov. 8. However, today we can’t find it in the CNN web site, “Politics” section. In fact, I saw no further news coverage about his speech. I hoped The Daily Show would talk about it, but Jon Stewart did not mention it Monday or Tuesday. I would like to get a message to Jon Stewart in case he simply missed this speech that was so poorly covered by “news” stations. If you know how to contact The Daily Show, please let me know, Thanks, Carol

By: Anchor

Anchor — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:50:00 +0000

@49MKS, who says, “Oh Phil, I hope you haven’t joined the True Forces of Darkness, those who get wet when they attack certain thoughts or worldviews instead of just concentrating on being a good human being and doing good & fun science. Being a real human deserves more than Stalinization (science, too).”

Well, as long as those “certain thoughts or worldviews” of others do not interfere with the rest of us trying our best “being a good human being…doing good & fun science”, even you might acknowledge you may have missed the target of your incindiary “Stalinization” aim by a wide margin, or I will submit you haven’t a clue about what being a “real human deserves”.

By: Anchor

Anchor — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:32:45 +0000

It’s fascinating to see retorts from people of a certain and very strongly held political persuasion who are so willing to automatically presume that the segments involving that horribly stupid woman were somehow edited to enhance her stupidity.

Oh yes, by CONTEXT the idiocy is heightened (which is why the satire works so well) but this sequence is by no means inaccurate.

The truth – and natural reality – can be unpleasant only to those who have been indoctrinated to deny it.

By: icemith

icemith — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:26:18 +0000

Surprised that some were not able to watch video. Was OK here in Australia, and I am using Safari, of course on a Mac. But it wasn’t the fastest loading.

Ivan.

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:49:14 +0000

Ozonator (55) said:

Attacking the blogger and not the science is the 1 step sciency method of extremist Republicans and Christians:
PayasYouStargaze
flip
Joseph G

Yeah? Show us your science – using coherent English, if you are able – and we’ll assess it on its merits.

Continue to blather incoherently and we’ll laugh and point as before.

By: PayasYouStargaze

PayasYouStargaze — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:03:38 +0000

@Joseph G and flip:

I’m also an atheist and not American, and would tend to lean to the left of the political spectrum. If I attacked it it was only on its inability to use language to present its ideas.

By: Debra

Debra — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:56:51 +0000

Thanks to Steve Metzler @14 for posting the Vimeo link

By: flip

flip — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:40:09 +0000

I have to agree with you Joseph G. My favourite bit is that I can’t even attack the science, given that I have no idea what or if there is any science to his rants. Or maybe the bit where I point out that I’m an artist, therefore have very little ability to attack the science anyway (but have every bit of background to attack the way he *doesn’t* use language that’s comprehensible. Or is it the bit where I’m not American, atheist, and have voted to the left of my country’s version of the Democrats…

I think he goes into the ‘not even wrong’ pile.

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:09:07 +0000

Bahahaha. I actually rated the bot’s notice. I feel strangely honored.
Note that I am neither Republican nor Christian, nor did I attack the blogger or even disagree with him. Fun.

By: Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes

Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:47:55 +0000

Attacking the blogger and not the science is the 1 step sciency method of extremist Republicans and Christians:
PayasYouStargaze
flip
Joseph G

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:51:51 +0000

@41 kurt: Overheard in a first year Ecology lab.

“As you can see by my two data points, there is a straight line correlation.”

Bahaha!
I once heard a “sacred geometry” nut (referring to some locations on a map) say something to the effect of “If you look at these three points right here, you can see they make a perfect triangle!”

By: John

John — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:50:07 +0000

That was scary. I’m not sure if the politician was playing along or actually believed what was being said.

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:46:46 +0000

I’m pretty sure Ozonator is some kind of bot. The very fact that you’re responding to it at all no doubt makes the author of said bot stroke his bushy beard and giggle with glee*.

*Also insert joke about parents’ basement, etc

By: Al

Al — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:29:24 +0000

It’s fine to give adults opportunities to make fools of themselves and even to insult scientists but the actor went way too far when he accosted children at the science fair. What he pulled on them was just plain cruel.

By: flip

flip — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:52:33 +0000

#46, Ozonator

No matter how high you appear in the google/bing rank that does not make you either legible nor actually affecting the ranking. It ranks high simply because you post on a popular website, not because you or your rantings are popular themselves or make sense. Maybe you need a course in how search algorithms work?

As for your comments about me getting eco-grant money or getting an E for effort: I am an artist (and not in the US) and have a high-ranking website in my field (I chose to remain anonymous here though) and understand how rankings work. I also have worked as a writer, so I think I know a sensible and easy-to-understand sentence when I see one. Yours make no sense. I actually have googled your other posts previously and find them all equally nonsensical and so do the other people whose sites you’ve posted on.

Feel free to continue blathering on, I actually have no idea what you’re accusing me of other than calling you illegible and you not liking it. You clearly have the ability to actually post something that we can understand, so why you’re not doing it is beyond me. You might actually get more interest in your ‘predictions’ if people could understand what it is you’re predicting, why and how you do it. But instead we’ll continue to ignore you and write you off as a nutter.

By: MKS

MKS — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:36:48 +0000

Oh Phil, I hope you haven’t joined the True Forces of Darkness, those who get wet when they attack certain thoughts or worldviews instead of just concentrating on being a good human being and doing good & fun science

Being a real human deserves more than Stalinization (science, too).

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:33:39 +0000

@kurt_eh (#41): The pain your statement causes me is immense. I’ve seen too many students do 2 and 3 point curve fits, where too many means more than zero.

By: PayasYouStargaze

PayasYouStargaze — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:21:09 +0000

Oh wow! We haven’t had a visit from the Ozonator in a while. Those ramblings to brighten up my day so.

If only we could understand its nonsensical gibberish. Except for maybe one sentence:

Amazingly, this blog and some of my comments made it on the 1st page of the Bing search for earthquakes most recent.

It’s actually in English. But let that be a lesson to you all, use Google!

By: Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes

Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:37:52 +0000

Amazingly, this blog and some of my comments made it on the 1st page of the Bing search for earthquakes most recent. Back on my head, “43. JB of Brisbane Says: November 2nd, 2011 at 1:50 am” – I was responding to both my correct AGW predictions posted throughout the web and viewing clip of the “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”. However, “44. flip Says: November 2nd, 2011 at 2:11 am” fails to do he/she/it’s homework getting an “E” for effort.
For example, 3 recent correct predictions are found in:
http://wireupdate.com/news/strong-earthquake-hits-off-the-coast-of-oregon-no-damage.html
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/5-9-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-off-Ore-coast/o_B9eYkfUUiv3ngPKh-c3Q.cspx?p=Comments
And, this proves “Flipper” is getting t-GOP approved eco-grant money and I am still waiting for my share of Goldwater…

By: RwFlynn

RwFlynn — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:16:48 +0000

I love these kinds of posts because then I can see what varieties of people read the BA Blog.

By: flip

flip — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:11:58 +0000

#42, JB

No one knows. S/he turns up to posts and splutters word salad everywhere. Every time he’s questioned, he just continues making no sense…

By: JB of Brisbane

JB of Brisbane — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 07:50:28 +0000

#42 Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes – What in the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s name are you talking about?!?

By: Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes

Ozonator aka Robert Rhodes — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:55:39 +0000

So if I wear a red dress and/or make up stuff, I will actually get paid some of Roy’d-rage’ Spencer’s grant money? I knew that correct AGW earthquake predictions resulted in millions of people suddenly to poor to pay squat. I have also since found out that the Looter Limbaughs get paid to lie and steal – on behalf of Esso-Koch-Fox’s investors, charging by the angry E. coli inch, “‘Yes, we plead guilty … ‘Skeptics will proudly celebrate … Climate Depot takes full responsibility for the fate of your children and grandchildren from any future man-made climate catastrophe” (“Australian PM warns skeptics ‘are too ‘dangerous to ignore’ and are ‘holding the world to ransom’”, By Marc ‘EIB’s pilodinal cyst’ Morano, Climate Depot Editorial”; web crimes by Joseph D’Aleo; icecap.us, 11/6/09).

By: kurt_eh

kurt_eh — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:25:19 +0000

Overheard in a first year Ecology lab.

“As you can see by my two data points, there is a straight line correlation.”

By: Joseph G

Joseph G — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:48:52 +0000

@39 Gary Ansorge: If you’re into classic sci-fi, look for “Fallen Angels” by (I think) Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven. It takes place in a chilling future world where religious fundamentalism and environmental luddism have conspired to make most technology (except that needed for basic commerce or environmental protection) forbidden, even to the point where technophiles and science fiction fans are considered dangerous deviants. A couple of astronauts from a space station (which has been self-sufficient – barely scraping by – for decades) crash on Earth, and an underground of sci-fi fans and various sorts of geeks and nerds plot together to protect them from the government and try to get them back into space using mothballed (and now illegal) rockets.
The only thing I don’t like about it is that the environmental catastrophe that’s triggered a lot of this is an ice age (apparently this is the “Day After Tomorrow” school of climate change thought) Still, it was written in the 70s, so what are you gonna do.