I'm With the Scientists!

Interesting Pew Research Center poll published this week.  I am not sure if this is as much disagreement based on knowledge, or just another reflection of the fact that most adult Americans are unbelievably uninformed/dense/stupid about science and science matters. I turn off "entertainment news" entirely on any news site I visit regularly, but crank up the science settings.  For our competitive future in the "real" flat world, more Americans should do the same. Maybe we should be doing more of this: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/skip-fairy-tales-tell-daughter-science-bedtime-stories/

Here is a very readable PBS summary: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/study-reveals-wide-opinion-differences-scientists-general-public/

And here is the original Pew poll - seeing the areas of agreement juxtaposed with the areas of disagreement is quite jarring.  Americans see science and generally a 'good' thing and worthy of some investment, but the disagreement areas make me ask -- were they really paying attention at all, or glued to their favorite Hollywood or sports hero's Tweets?    

George II Lying on Camera

My contempt for George II frankly knows no bounds, I will write a later post to try and factually outline all the reasons for it. 

However, one subject in particular is now rather obvious.  In this video, George II can be seen trying to justify the use of torture, while the counterpoint from the recently released Senate Intelligence Committee Report contradicts his statements at almost every point:

Health Care Nonsense

I was actually planning a nice little post here about the b___ s__t that Americans have been fed and largely believe about the US health care racket (errr... I mean "system"). 

But Wendell Potter (a former health insurance CEO) has done a much better job than I could and I won't plagiarize his work.  Please read it - it should disabuse you of almost everything that you thought "everybody knows" about American health care.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/01/16334/exploding-myths-about-american-health-care?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email&goal=0_ffd1d0160d-ee2804a9ed-100121433&mc_cid=ee2804a9ed&mc_eid=14bacdf82a

The documentary he references:
http://remoteareamedicalmovie.com/screenings/

Wendell Potter's book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A16M7HC/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A16M7HC&linkCode=as2&tag=thecenforpu0d-20

Rent This F-35 Parking Space - Cheap!

Another bizarre twist to the ongoing saga of the grotesquely incompetent and dysfunctional F-35 program.  The British have a spanking new aircraft carrier all ready to handle the F-35, but due to program delays Britain is now not due to get any until about 2021.  So they are looking for renters:


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30209960

NRA Is Digging Its Own Grave

The NRA is in a tough spot these days.  Between incompetent leadership and a mission that seems none too clear even to its members, things like this keep popping up from states that practically say "dump guns here".  Don't forget that there are some in the NRA who think mandatory training of children in guns is a "good thing" -- and you thought Common Core was bad?

Yet as recently as 1999, the NRA actually supported background checks for gun purchases.  For one of the most squirmy, wimp out of it performances of all time - see this.

LaPierre basically weasels his way around the fact that the improved gun check laws and purchase requirements that they once "supported" at least verbally but opposed in Congress are not effective.  (If they are never enacted, how can they be ineffective?).

The NRA is looking more and more like a bunch of idiots that don't know what their message is or where they are going.

For me -- I will do what I usually do as elections approach.  Look for those candidates that have received NRA donations and make sure to vote against them.

What Is the Gas Mileage on That Thing?

It's been awhile since we visited the F-35, that overblown, can't shoot, and pilots don't want to fly money pit at the Pentagon. 

It turns out now the ongoing costs are stubbornly refusing to go down...they basically need an overhaul every few hours of use, and they were recently nixed from crossing the Atlantic....the "little" ocean!

Guantanamo's Wreckage

I have recently become involved in a BBC effort that solicits commentary and analysis of BBC-produced programs.  It gave me the opportunity to listen to this documentary broadcast on the Guantanamo Bay prison - but  with the emphasis on prisoners who have been released.

It is a program that does not spoon-feed the listener the viewpoint they are supposed to be adopting like so many US "cable news" programs these days.  You actually need to think here - the story is told through the experiences of real people who were incarcerated at Guantanamo.  The story eventually tells itself very well, and it is not a pretty one for US citizens who in a very real way are responsible for the unjust, inhuman, and quite frankly invented reasons for keeping some of these people there at all.