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Forum Post: The Facts Have A Liberal Bias by all intelligentsia

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 20, 2012, 12:52 p.m. EST by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

The Facts Have A Liberal Bias by all intelligentsia

How do you argue this?

First of all being liberal is to have an open mind, a broad mind.

Being conservative (these days suggests insanity) is to have a closed narrow mind.

How do you Cons justify that?

Especially when science and social denier Cons seem to have gone insane.

117 Comments

117 Comments


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[-] 6 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

When was it exactly that "conservatives" became certifiable? I swear that they now hold a set of such contradictory and outlandish views that they could, as a whole, be declared completely insane.

And how the hell do people with such contrasting forms of insanity ever agree to agree about anything? I guess they all share just one central characteristic; the inclination to do as they're told.

[-] 3 points by Phanya2011 (908) from Tucson, AZ 12 years ago

What always brings people of differing views together? Fear of the "other". I think Conservatives want predictability and the only way to get that (in their minds, not in reality) is to have complete control. What they are never going to understand is that the only thing any of us can actually control is our own attitude and (sometimes) our own behavior. Thus, insanity -- doing the same thing you have always done and expecting different results. Personally, fear of conservatives in power might serve to bring the rest of us together to achieve what probably would not be possible otherwise.

[-] 2 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

What you say here is really more to the point. Sometimes I get a little sarcastic and oversimplify just to irritate the oposition. It's a fault. I should really stick entirely to constructive posts and comments, because that is what matters, and being drawn in to the fray just disipates energy that we need for the job at hand.

[-] 1 points by Phanya2011 (908) from Tucson, AZ 12 years ago

Thanks for acknowledging how easy it is to be dragged down into the negative whirlpool. The more we master refocusing our attention on solutions and positive ideas, the more effective we will be and the better we will feel! It seems to me there are a lot more upbeat postings on this forum, but I may just have learned to skip over what are clearly not intended to promote cooperation :)

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

I think you're right that the positive energy is starting to overcome the negative again here, and we all need to focus that positive energy again. It will be an interesting year.

[-] -1 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

It's not the conservatives that want control, it is the liberals. They think they are smarter than everybody else and they want to take away people's liberties.

[-] 1 points by Breadwinner (33) 12 years ago

It is no different from one group to the next. The problem is niether side is willing to see any point of view other than there own.

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

Your fear is controling you. Don't fear ideas, read, read, read.

[-] 0 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

My fear is controlling me? What should I think when I have the government in DC issuing an edict that my religious organization must support policies that are anti-ethical to them. What should I think when there have been more czars created than I can even remember. What should I think when governemtn contracts are being doled out to produce solar energy to friends of the President. And when he cancels a pipline that would provide enough energy at a fifth of the cost?

Where am I wrong. He believes that the government is a better allocator of assets than the private markets. He wants to push his view of how people should live. He is as bad as the Republicans who want to legislate morality. It's not the government's place.

[-] 1 points by louploup (1) from Seattle, WA 12 years ago

When your religious organization provides a public service (employment) it is subject to regulation for the commonweal (public health). Assuming you are referring to the contraception dust up, remember that most Catholics have already voted "liberal" by their actions.

"Solar energy to friends of the President"? Solar energy is needed by all of us because: "cancels a pipeline that would provide energy at a fifth of the cost" is a totally ignorant and incorrect statement. The externalities of that project are huge. We are at the end of the cheap fossil fuel era.

Your post demonstrates a corollary of "the facts have a liberal bias"; reactionaries have to ignore the facts.

[-] 0 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

Shale gas is being produced a fifth of the cost of oil right now and even cheaper compared to wind and solar. So how am I ignorant?

Employment is not a public service. You just want to take away my liberty and get into my business.

[-] 6 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

Ever read Edward Said? His "Representations of the Intellectual" is a great little book. In it, he sums up that any intellectual's role is to speak truth to power, no matter what.

[-] 3 points by flip (7101) 12 years ago

ed said - very nice - wonderful man - and brilliant. i have to say though that i think chomsky is correct here - power already knows the truth - we need to speak to those who think they are powerless - this is an important issue to understand - no need to tell kissinger and nixon that they are killing vietnamese peasants - they know that. we need to talk to the bulk of the population that is kept in the dark - same today - your thoughts?

[-] 2 points by MalCalder (70) from San Francisco, CA 12 years ago

AMEN! I was going to say the same thing, but you got there first.

Power needs to be challenged, not educated as to what it's doing. It can be challenged by The People becoming informed and organized. Intellectuals can have an important role in that, if they take it.

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

I think they are both right. Chomsky is right in the fact that people need to be educated. And, Said is right because once people understand something and become intellectual about it (not a matter of formal education, more a matter of having deep understanding and concern about things) they must speak truth to power.

BTW, I think Said is just absolutely brilliant and no one can touch the profundity of his thesis in "Orientalism." Just my personal opinion. This is fun, isn't it, flip?

[-] 1 points by flip (7101) 12 years ago

his thesis was on the money - and yes

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

that's also the court jester's job

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

Remember King Lear?

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

don't know that one

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

It's worth a read.

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 12 years ago

I'll have to check it out beautiful

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

Try his "Orientalism" as well. It's a tough read but profound.

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

That's What We're Doing!

Hmmm

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

Exactly!

[+] -4 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

ORGASM!

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

What?! Where did that come from?!

[-] -2 points by fairforall (279) 12 years ago

you don't know?

[-] 3 points by Progression (143) 12 years ago

Life has a liberal bias.

[-] 3 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 12 years ago

I have long said, "The Truth is Liberal". The cons, seem to have a faith in free enterprise, it’s like whatever happens in a free market it is as though God did it, so no body can question anything, just like some religions. If anything interferes with what they want, they shout that it’s against God. I think this is a tactic that has been used throughout the ages to stifle free thought. One of the things I think they have hijacked, is the American revolution, you can see what I said about that here.

http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-america-revolution-was-the-largest-act-of-weal/

[-] 3 points by ThunderclapNewman (1083) from Nanty Glo, PA 12 years ago

Are we a nation founded in liberalism? I would think so. I think that conservatism runs counter to what America is about.

From wikipedia:

Liberalism (from the Latin liberalis)[1] is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights.[2] Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism, and freedom of religion.

I would add freedom from religion

From the Merriam Webster on-line dictionary:

C: a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically: such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class)

From Wikipedia:

William F. Buckley Jr., in the first issue of the prominent magazine National Review, defined the beliefs of American conservatives this way, in 1955:[7]

Among our convictions: It is the job of centralized government (in peacetime) to protect its citizens’ lives, liberty and property. All other activities of government tend to diminish freedom and hamper progress. The growth of government (the dominant social feature of this century) must be fought relentlessly. In this great social conflict of the era, we are, without reservations, on the libertarian side. The profound crisis of our era is, in essence, the conflict between the Social Engineers, who seek to adjust mankind to conform with scientific utopias, and the disciples of Truth, who defend the organic moral order. We believe that truth is neither arrived at nor illuminated by monitoring election results, binding though these are for other purposes, but by other means, including a study of human experience. On this point we are, without reservations, on the conservative side.

[-] 2 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 12 years ago
[-] 0 points by Kite (79) 12 years ago

Freedom of religion is freedom from religion.

The threat to your liberty is not that your neighbors practice a welcome plurality of faiths, but when a beneficent government imposes its own.

I'm cool with Athiesm, I just don't like it shoved down anyone's throat.

[-] 3 points by shadz66 (19985) 12 years ago

Hey 'JS92' try "OUTFOXED" : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6737097743434902428 ; a film which examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know.

Tho' worth a view I can't promise that it'll be quite as exciting for you as Edward Said for example !!

ad iudicium ? ...

[-] 2 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

Also- how about an evangelical or strict religious upbringing creating lemmings that are programmed to unquestioningly believe any "authority"


The PublicMind poll by Farleigh Dickinson University @ in New Jersey showed that of all the news channels out there, Fox News viewers are the least informed.

People were asked questions about news habits and current events in a statewide poll of 600 New Jersey residents. Results showed that viewers of Sunday morning news shows were the most informed about current events, while Fox News viewers were the least informed. In fact, FDU poll results showed they were even less informed than those who say they don’t watch any news at all and they were also less likely than any other group analyzed to have forms of higher education. Readers of The New York Times, USA Today and listeners to National Public Radio were better informed about international events than other media outlets.

In one major example, New Jersey poll participants were questioned about the outcome of the so-called Arab Spring uprisings in North Africa earlier in the year. Non-Fox News viewer statistics showed 53% know that Egyptians were successful in overthrowing dictator Mubarak.
48% know that the Syrian uprising has thus far been unsuccessful in ousting Assad. But Fox News viewers showed 37% know that Egyptians overthrew their government 42% know that Syrians have not yet overthrown their government thus suggesting a daily dose of sound bytes from CNN at the gym, and headlines from Google News were enough to surpass what average Fox viewers knew about current events.

“Because of the controls for partisanship, we know these results are not just driven by Republicans or other groups being more likely to watch Fox News,” said Dan Cassino, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson and an analyst for the PublicMind Poll. “The results clearly prove that there is something about watching Fox News that fundamentally leads people to be mis-informed – even compared to those who don’t watch any news at all.”

This isn't the first study that has found that Fox News viewers more misinformed in comparison to others. Last year, a study from the University of Maryland found that Fox News viewers were more likely to believe lies and false information about politics and world events.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Thanks for the vid shadz66.

Yep the propaganda machine in action. Fux being the most visible the others playing catch-up for popularity and revenue.

Propaganda is the new MSM, working to provide a point and shoot population of the uninformed. Ripe for manipulation.

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Fox Lies and RW Hate/Lie speech should be rated XXXX until we ban them.

Murdock in prison.

[-] 0 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

you are so stupid you don't even see the irony of your comments.

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

A con bitching about irony is like hypocrisy disguised as a con wondering how he got caught.

[-] 0 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

ok here for your pea sized brain is what you said 'First of all being liberal is to have an open mind, a broad mind.' and then you say in the same blog 'Fox Lies and RW Hate/Lie speech should be rated XXXX until we ban them. Murdock in prison.' So open mindness is to ban a whole network one of the most popular news network in the U.S. Now that's irony.

[-] 1 points by Puzzlin (2898) 12 years ago

Its the difference between people who live by prescription (maintenance of the status quo) ie "conservatism", and people who are open to learning to recognize that nature of the world is that it is ever changing, and therefore think progressively.

PROGRESSIVE THINKING

[-] 1 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

Conservatives just want to take the country back, to a place it never was.

Edmund Burke was praised as a conservative, a liberal and as a libertarian by his contemporaries (from each of those camps). Show me a politician that is getting those reactions today.

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

1801 happened.

[-] 2 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

You mean: July 1801 - Eli Whitney demonstrates before the United States Congress the advantages of the system of interchangeable parts in the manufacture of firearms.[7]?

Or: February 17 – An electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr is resolved, when Jefferson is elected President of the United States and Burr Vice President by the United States House of Representatives.

[-] 0 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

Wow, this is an interesting post. Please elaborate before taking half the country and declaring them close minded.

PS- liberal is actually very conservative in some regards, if we are going off how the policians have perverted each of the words.

[-] 2 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

All I see with your link is a bunch of establishment, devisive nonsense.

Care to expand in your own words?

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Perhaps this is your problem: http://www.alternet.org/story/154252/the_republican_brain%3A_why_even_educated_conservatives_deny_science_--_and_reality?page=entire

Unite an Win! Unite and Win! 2010 Never EVER Again!!

Image and Vote! Image and Vote! "We the 1%" NOT What They Wrote!!

[Removed]

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

It's only because Cons have gone insane.

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Poor deluded cons.

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

What type of liberal bias do facts have? Aren't facts, facts?

The US is 15 trillion in debt. Is that a liberal bias?

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Earth is round would be a good place to start.

[-] 1 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

So, you have no empirical evidence that facts have a liberal bias? It's more of an opinion thing?

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

...And not flat, doesn't do? Can't beat that empirically.

How about pollution is a negative? Iraq was fraud? Wall Street Raped us?

[-] 1 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Can you relate those things to your original premise or are you just off on a tangent?

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

OK, I'll tie your shoe laces just this once for the sake of the readers.

Cons deny that pollution is causing damage, Cons committed the Iraq fraud, Cons facilitated Wall Street's greatest bank heist in world history.

You're on your own now.

[-] -2 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Can you prove any of those allegations or are you just expressing a liberal bias?

[-] 2 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Obama got elected President of the United States. That is proof beyond any sheet of facts I could provide.

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Tie your own shoes and do your own homework!!

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

So, your original premise is false, facts do not have a liberal bias.

[-] 1 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Correct, facts don't really have a liberal bias. It's just a cute way of saying liberals don't have to ignore facts to advance their philosophy.

[-] 1 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Surely you jest, I would say ignoring facts is a prerequisite of being a liberal.

[-] -1 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Why do liberals spend so much time rationalizing?

[-] 2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

I don't know. Why do "conservatives" spend so much time irrationalizing?

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Can some one explain that??

Why do "conservatives" spend so much time irrationalizing? Making nonsense out of sense?

[-] 2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

I'm thinking they are just plain brain lazy, as irrationalizing is much easier than trying to make sense.

All one has to do to hear it in action, is view any (R)epelican't debate, and observe them trying out irrationalize one another.

Keep in mind Romney considers himself "jobless".

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

They believe, and don't think. Much like a cult. Believing. Following. and their Charlie Manson is the evil few in the 1%.

[-] 1 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

Isn't it better than propagandizing? Fictionalizing? Science has to do with continuously improving the models that explain how things work. The alternative is to accept a flawed model and sticking with it in the face of new evidence.

This question explains the model of conservatism. "my mind is made up, it was made up, and it has always been made up." The liberal model is, "I have just improved the model so it is more accurate than it was."

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Do you believe the science on Global Warming is settled? There is no possible other conclusion? Or is your mind made up. :)

[-] 2 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

Of course I believe in the science. What else would one believe in? Is it settled" Is warming happening, yes. Are humans contributing to it or affecting it in any way? Yes. And how much?. There are many studies, some completed, some in process some waiting for funding. and the correlation of this is ongoing and will be for years. because precision is required.

The data is the only thing in question. There has long been data that is relevant, since 1964, directly, and when it started pointing to supporting the hypothesis, the "archaeology" through all of the data that had been collected for other purposes was begun which reexamined those data to assess their relevance to the question. I keep reading everything that comes out on the subject since now there have been a huge number of experiments and analyses designed to look at the history of everything that would have experienced the change and would have reflected it in some way. The correlation of all of these data to confirm and refine the timeline of the observed changes happening at the same time in history validates them. (if a change occurred and it is reflected in a 100 different effects in the same direction at the same time, it is a validation). Of course there are many details to be discovered but events that don't correlate in time, direction and magnetude are rare and usually some handling anomaly is discovered that explain and correct them.

Well over 90%of climatologists agree that the earth has been warming and the activity of humans have been contributing to it. The question that thousands in a variety of disciplines are trying to resolve is which factors are contributing to the effect and how much.

It is unusual that large industries have a vested interest in discrediting science. Where there isn't a vested interest, science is broadly accepted.

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

So, your mind is made up.

[-] 2 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

Well, in the winter time, I still take a coat with me even though it has stopped getting cold enough to kill the pine bark beetle, which has killed most the lodgepole pines in Colorado.

So, I guess my mind isn't made up as much as I know the difference between humidity and rain and somebody peeing on my boots. My mind sort of leans proportionally with the evidence, rather than binarily. Humidity can range from 0 to 100%, while the rain or whatever is either hitting my boots or it isn't.

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Shall we say you are firm in your beliefs.

[-] 2 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

Let's say I am open to evidence more than unfounded opinion.

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Has there been any contrary evidence that has shaken your belief in your position?

[-] 3 points by XenuLives (1645) from Charlotte, NC 12 years ago

Do you mean the studies funded by conservative groups for the express purpose of disproving global warming? Nope!

[-] 2 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

So there is nothing under the sun that will change your mind on GW. Sounds a bit dogmatic to me. This sub-thread is response to the statement that conservatives are closed minded and dogmatic, I think liberals are doing some serious projecting. :)

[-] 1 points by debndan (1145) 12 years ago

more than you could imagine.

The leftists got themselves some new studies from the late 1950's (wonder if they ever heard of orwell) that purports that conservatives are dumb and racist to boot, and they are absolutely giddy to have their vast ego message.

Too bad it just proves the gullibility of the loopy left.

we are the 99%

we are the 9.9%

we are the .99%

mic check, oh crap

[-] 0 points by owsleader2038 (-10) 12 years ago

Well one thing clear about the left, ... is they really don't understand the difference between 9% and 99%, ...

Of course Pug's ain't much different, in fact its fairly easy to suggest that the entire US populace are arithmetically ignorant, but then the CIA factbook clearly indicates the USA is a 3rd world country in terms of literacy.

But at the end of the day "OWS" was always about "save the whales", "visualize peace", AND "wE are the 99%",

Nazi slogans that mean nothing to nobody, offend nobody, and are meaningless to the educated, and meaningful to the dumb.

It's not right verus left folks the USA is going down, and hard and at this point they're engineering the 'blame game' so that folks don't head to WASH-DC with pitchforks to burn the downtown.

The K-street crowd destroyed the US dollar, and and then it all went down, ... today your only seeing a snippet of the civil war to come to the USA.

The last civil war may have been over 'slaves' but this coming war, will be over 'legal tender', men will kill men over whose paper money will have value.

[-] 1 points by XenuLives (1645) from Charlotte, NC 12 years ago

No...unlike Conservatives we actually look at the science and come to our own conclusions. We don't need to hire biased "think tank" groups to support our conclusion, because our conclusions came from sound scientific study in the first place.

Do you have any hard, unbiased, scientific proof that global warming is not influenced by human activity? This means nothing linked from Fox News, The Heritage Foundation, or any Conservative Christian website...

[-] 1 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Two weeks ago the East Anglia Unit (one of the stalwarts of the global warming hoax) released figures that show no global warming in 15 years. Governments all over the world (including the US) have quietly dropped global warming tax scams.

The Climategate emails were the death knell of the GW scam and only low level leftists like yourself haven't gotten the memo. One year from now you will swear you never believed that hogwash. :)

[-] 0 points by XenuLives (1645) from Charlotte, NC 12 years ago

Unlike you I actually look up things and come to my own conclusions. I'm sure that Fox News buttered you up nice and good with rhetoric about those "Climategate" emails, however, nearly every scientific body that audited those emails and the scientists involved in them concluded that this didn't affect the data on climate change at all. The earth is still getting warmer, no matter how many words you can pull out-of-context from some hacked private emails ;)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/07/climategate-review-clears-scientists-dishonesty

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/oct/28/ipcc-climate-science-attacks-tobacco?mobile-redirect=false

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10538198

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatic_Research_Unit_email_controversy#cite_note-6committees-13

"a b The eight major investigations covered by secondary sources include: House of Commons Science and Technology Committee (UK); Independent Climate Change Review (UK); International Science Assessment Panel (UK); Pennsylvania State University first panel and second panel (US); United States Environmental Protection Agency (US); Department of Commerce (US); National Science Foundation (US)"

Its not like those emails even matter. No one is changing their mind about global warming, because Scientists aren't stupid. They have mountains of data to back up their claims, while Republicans have... conspiracy theories?

Wikipedia shows the list of scientific organizations (i.e. groups of Scientists) who are backing up the science:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change#Statements_by_concurring_organizations

And there is a (much shorter) list of individual scientists who are skeptical about certain aspects of the science:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scientists_opposing_the_mainstream_scientific_assessment_of_global_warming

And finally, when the other side of the debate has to wage propaganda campaigns to "cast doubt" on scientific fact, it makes you wonder if you're on the wrong side of history?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/21/heartland-institute-leak-climate-attack

What is the point of denying climate change? Are you pro-pollution?

[-] 1 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

There were a trickle of data from several sources from the '60's ,'70's and '80's that were interesting but without tools like satellites, very large data bases that were on line, and models to correlate them, it was just interesting anecdotes.

What came as surprises were things like very deep ice cores, picture histories of glaciers, tree growth rings that correlated closely over different time scales. These are physical evidence that even a layman can evaluate.

As a developer of supercomputers, I used to work with Europe's Medium Range Weather Forecasters who worked very closely with climatologists to build the mathematical models to try to extend the forecasts into the future.

It turned out that those models, with some extensions like increasing the sizes of the data sets, could correlate immence amounts of data from many sources that showed they exhibited amazingly high coefficients of correlation. That shook my scepticism.

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Thinking. Try it.

[-] -2 points by uncensored (104) 12 years ago

Re-read your own post and tell me who is closed minded. Have you ever been out of Portland or are you not yet allowed to cross the street?

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

This might help: http://www.alternet.org/story/154252/the_republican_brain%3A_why_even_educated_conservatives_deny_science_--_and_reality?page=entire

Clear Channel is preempting Progressive Radio (what precious little there is) !!

Unite and Win! Unite and Win! 2010 Never EVER Again!!

Image and Vote! Image and Vote! "We the 1%" NOT What They Wrote!!

[-] -2 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

funny that things are upside down now. Liberals now have the closed minds, they can't even let conservative speakers show up on campuses to speak. Libs want to shut down foxnews and other conservative outlets. If libs have open minds why are they so close minded?

[-] 2 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Actually conservatives (in name only) are farther right than ever, which might explain the liberal angst. Republicans are becoming radical extremists, which is helping democrats and the president.

[-] -1 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

You can't win with that argument as the left has an extreme also (i.e. OWS). Plus what does that have to do with being opened minded, from your comment, it sounds like you don't mind conservatives just not the extreme right, but somehow i doubt that.

[-] 2 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

I don't need to win. The extreme right is throwing the game. Their primary race is a circus.

[-] -1 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

why is it a circus. you'd rather have an appointed dictator? Its no more of a circus than when Clinton/Obama were going against each other. Or is that not a a circus because they were liberal?

[-] 3 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Really, if you don't see the difference, let's leave it at that.

[-] -1 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

you can leave it at that. Democracy is a dirty, strange system maybe a circus, but its the best we have. Sounds like you don't like compromise, debate or political discussion. Go to Venezuela or Cuba maybe you'll find what you want.

[-] 2 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Sorry I got your knickers in a twist.

[-] -1 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

you guys are unable to discuss. You are set in your ways like an old man. Sad , liberals used to be the opened minded ones supported freedom of speech.

[-] 2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

It's the lack of reality in the (R)epelican't debates.

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/2012-Election/a/2012-GOP-Candidate-Quotes.htm

Yep, it's a (R)epelican't circus alright.

[-] 2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

It would help if so called "conservatives" would admit to the things they've got wrong, and stop with all BS about gays and abortion.

Whatever else you say, the economy crashed on their watch, and they refuse to move away from the policies that caused it.

So say something new or STFU.

FLAKESnews? They should stop lying......period!

[-] -2 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

shoo away shooz. you are illogical as always, and using vulgarities because you really have nothing to say. except what you get from the Daily Kos, media matters or some other wonderful news source.

[-] 4 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

Sorry, I'm not going anywhere else. I like this place.....:)

I like OWS.

I rarely visit any of those sites.

So as an olive branch, why don't you tell me what great legislation came out of the 8yrs Bush was President?

No child left behind? (screwed public education)

The Patriot Act? (That shit's going to go on for years no matter who's side claims the Presidency)

The ownership society? ( What the hell was that anyway?)

[-] 3 points by HitGirl (2263) 12 years ago

Yeah! shooz is staying. We like having you here, shooz.

[-] 1 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

Asking them to inform us of what good legislation came from 8yrs of Bush, seems to stop them in their tracks.

They just don't have an answer for 8yrs in the (R)epelican't, twilight zone

[-] 2 points by JesseHeffran (3903) 12 years ago

don't forget Medicare Part D, you know the one that did not allow the gov't to bargain for bulk deals when buying medication.

[-] 2 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

These are of course, the facts of the "conservative" agenda.

It's not a very pretty picture, but let's see what the "fans" can come up with..

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Shooz stays, you go. Because you really don't have anything to say at all. Shooz rocks.

[-] 0 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

OK.

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Like a wise doctor killing germs and denying cancers.

[-] -1 points by tomahawk99 (-26) 12 years ago

maybe dr shooz, could then take a look at you, check for insanity or drug abuse.

[-] -2 points by Dell (-168) 12 years ago

Liberals have an open mind - Yet are the first to censor speech they disagree with. Liberals are the biggest hypocrites going are you kidding?

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Yes, you can't yell fire in a crowded theater.

It's called sanity. If you look up hypocrite you will find Republicon and conservative.

[-] 1 points by Dell (-168) 12 years ago

So you are for Censoring speech. You equate what you disagree with as yelling fire in a crowded theater lol! hoe convenient. Maybe I'll do the same.

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Media monopoly and deprogramming is censorship. Broadcast-saturating RW hate and lies promoting violence is criminal.

http://www.truth-out.org/right-wing-id-unzipped/1329147417

Unite and Win! Unite and Win! 2010 Never EVER Again!!

Image and Vote! Image and Vote! "We the 1%" NOT What They Wrote!!

[-] -3 points by Kirby (104) 12 years ago

Liberal policy makers, want change NOW. Pedal to the metal style, rarely thinking things through to a logical conclusion, nor counting the cost. Once changes are made, NEVER are they reconsidered, even when the changes are disastrous. Conservatives are not much different, as they want change too, just at a slower more calculated pace. Liberalism constantly expands and moves out of the boundaries, pushing the edges.

[-] 1 points by jart (1186) from New York, NY 12 years ago

Liberal and conservative policy makers want reactionary change now.

[-] 0 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

People are suffering, losses are accruing, they demand urgent action. Cons don't give a shit. Progress tends to be liberal, too.

[-] -2 points by Kirby (104) 12 years ago

That is a problem of the industrial age. People don't buy and the wheels stop spinning. It's a rough and tumble world. My dad was a hard core lib and he booted us all out and told us to figure shit out. We lived in cheapass ratraps, and scavenged garage sales, and found things we thought were gold, and everyone else did too. We lived on potatoes and treated them like Samwise Gamgee.

[-] 1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Great, the bootstrap story.

Redistribution of wealth is real, it's going to the top 1%. By design, manufactured, CLASS WAR!!!

[-] -1 points by Kirby (104) 12 years ago

Hey buddy, can you spare a dime? Errr.... Make that my rent an utilities, and some food too.

[-] -1 points by JIFFYSQUID92 (-994) from Portland, OR 12 years ago

Can you say RW cretin?