Archive for the ‘Lame’ Category

Science is a methodology to find or approximate reliable information. It is not something you “believe in” as though it were a religion.

Science can inform decision making. Science cannot make a decision.

Based on the best available data (-which is always subject to new observation), science can suggest that the novel coronavirus is more deadly than most influenza viruses. Science can suggest methods of reducing propagation of the virus among the population. Science can suggest probable outcomes from various policies.

Science cannot decide the relative importance of allowing greater economic activity versus suppressing activity in order to reduce the rate of viral infection. Science cannot balance the number of deaths from infection against the loss of livelihood due to unemployment, depression and suicide due to social isolation, or unintended consequences of delaying “elective” medical procedures. Science cannot assign moral value.

Take the classic “trolley problem” and its variants. In the trolley problem, science will tell you that if you flip the switch, a certain set of individuals will die, and that if you do nothing, a different set of individuals will die. Science does not tell you whether to flip the switch.

When a politician of any party tells you that they are making a policy decision based on science, they are implying a value. That implied value might be reasonable. You may agree with that value. But be aware that they sneaked in the value through the back door.





We’re Back Baby!



So what got DPUD nuked?

Did Word Press go crazy and start nuking blogs for politics?


Was it Teh Racism inherent in the Blazing Saddles clip?


No, it was freaking Kathy Ireland pictures.





Myth: If you aren’t for Trump, you’re in favor of the Establishment.
FACT: A lot of us have been working against the Establishment for years. Also, the Establishment hates Cruz more than Trump.

Myth: Trump is the only reason we’re talking about immigration.
FACT: Would that be why John McCain was forced to lie about supporting a fence back in 2010? Because nobody was riding him about that?

Myth: Trump is the best bet to beat Hillary Clinton.
FACT: Hillary may have defeated herself with this email stuff, but Trump has absurdly high negative ratings. (And yes, I would still vote for Trump over Hillary and/or Sanders. As a long-time GOP voter I am very familiar with voting for the lesser evil.)

Myth: Trump’s previous positions don’t matter.
FACT: Somebody who doesn’t understand conservatism and feel it viscerally is unlikely to be able to defend or promote conservative positions on an ongoing basis. (See Romney, McCain, etc.)

Myth: Trump is conservative.
FACT: Anybody who has been in the conservative movement for more than five seconds knows Trump isn’t conservative. Trump has a history of actively undermining conservative causes.

Myth: Trump will get things done to fix our problems.
FACT: This is the new version of Obama’s “Hope and Change”. Long on rhetoric, short on substance. Trump is almost certainly a stronger and better deal-maker than Obama, but so is a head of cabbage.











