The right sort of answer

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Michael

Far, far, far too many people hate when they don’t get a direct and simple answer. Sometimes that’s what we actually want. Other times, it’s an effective tool. In fact, it’s the number one tool in politics: make it simple and repeat it over and over and it’s true. The more direct and more simple, the closer to the truth for more people. And, of course, I hate that. Want a real answer? I mean, a real, real answer? Check out this Feynman video.

Filed under: Science | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Thought of the day

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Michael

This bears repeating because I run into so often:

When someone says “X, Y, and Z are all wrong”, the proper response is not to say, “But people have a right to believe, practice, like, etc them.” That’s a given. We almost all agree (in the West, at least) that everyone has a right to believe whatever. That isn’t the point being made. YES, YES, YES, everyone can believe and like and prefer and whatever X, Y, and Z. That does not mean X, Y, and Z are therefore good. The point is not a valid counter-argument.

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Sean Hannity is willing to lie

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Michael

I had the misfortune of hearing Sean Hannity on the radio the other day. Before I was able to change back to my Elliott Smith, I heard him declare that Nancy Pelosi has a favorable rating of 8%. Eight percent, you say?! Why, that’s sounds atrocious. We knew she was unpopular, but who knew the numbers were so low?!

Except they aren’t.

Hannity was implying – without any shame whatsoever – that Pelosi’s overall favorable rating was 8%. Among everyone. That was precisely his intention and he didn’t bother to correct his lie. Why is it a lie, you say? Because the evidence says so.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s favorable rating is down seven percentage points since May to 29%, a new low for her since assuming the top congressional post.

That’s the very first sentence in the Gallup write-up of the poll. It’s hard to imagine Hannity missed it.

What the chief liar at FOX Noise did was cite the Republican favorable rating for Pelosi. That is not what he said he was doing on his shitty, nasal-y radio program. He intentionally portrayed his statistic as her overall favorable rating. This man is extremely willing to lie.

What makes this all the dumber is that 29% is already pretty terrible. There’s no need to lie, Hannity.

Filed under: Politics and Social | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Thought of the day

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Michael

Now that LePage is governor, I’m thinking about going back to high school to just get an associate’s degree. Who needs two years and professors?

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

Science saved my soul

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Michael

This is one of the best YouTube videos I’ve seen to date.

Filed under: Atheism/Humanism | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Election night

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Michael

It’s exciting that Eliot Cutler, the smartest candidate for governor, is currently in the lead with 38% of the vote. Such excitement must be tempered given that this is based upon a mere 26% of precincts, but I really hope it holds up. Paul LePage would be devastating for the economy and education.

Update 1: Coons beat O’Donnell in Delaware. At least everyone hasn’t been taken over by this urge to elect genuinely stupid people.

Update 2: With 50% reporting, Cutler leads LePage 38% to 36%.

Update 3: Bad news. LePage, still trailing, is gaining. 38% to 37%.

Update 4: Dead heat with 63% reporting.

Update 5: Cutler and LePage keep swapping first place by a couple hundred votes every page refresh.

Update 6: Of course there are no results yet for Logan and Maloney in District 57.

Update 7: At least I can say IN YOUR FACE, HOWIE CARR now that Deval Patrick has won in Mass. I don’t have a horse in that race; I just don’t like how Carr has been such a shill.

Update 8: Cutler is falling behind now. Looks like Maine is going to get a know nothing governor. Too bad, poor people and the middle class.

Update 9: Seriously? Michele Bachmann won? She has got to be the craziest candidate next to O’Donnell.

Update 10: Yep, I think this can be called earlier than the news organizations want to call it. LePage will be governor. I’d happily be wrong.

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: , , | 28 Comments »

Thought of the day

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Michael

I’m still waiting for someone, anyone!, to offer me even some evidence for God.

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: , | 62 Comments »

Here are some facts

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Michael
  • The Obama Administration has put in some excellent policies, including age restrictions on credit cards and cutting out the middle man in loans (this second one brings some amusement with it: conservatives claim to hate the government interfering with the private sector, but they don’t seem to realize that the only reason this part of the private sector could thrive was because of government backing. They should approve of this move – except they blindly hate Obama).
  • The second bailout was the right move. It prevented a collapse of the credit markets from the Bush recession.
  • Many of the businesses that got bailouts are paying back that money.
  • McCain would have just followed the Republicans (as has been his thing over the past few purely political, dishonest years of his life) and slashed social programs all over the place; people would lose homes, only making things worse.
  • Tax cuts alone don’t create jobs. They do, however, increase debt.

Filed under: Politics and Social | Tagged: , , , , | 8 Comments »

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