Month: January 2017

Scientists working On a Virtual Vaccine Against “Fake News”, “Alternative Facts”

For anyone following the war on science over the last 30 years or so, it was clear that the general movement to delegitimize real expertise and disinform the public, eventually would become a threat to democracy. Welcome to 2017.

Researchers used the hoary “30,000 scientists’ petition as a test case of climate denial nonsense.  It is, according to John Cook, actually one of the most shared denial memes on Facebook – which probably accounts for the continued popularity of my vid, above.

Expect the anti-vaxxers out on this one.

Phys.org:

In medicine, vaccinating against a virus involves exposing a body to a weakened version of the threat, enough to build a tolerance

Social psychologists believe that a similar logic can be applied to help “inoculate” the public against misinformation, including the damaging influence of ‘fake news’ websites propagating myths about climate change.

A new study compared reactions to a well-known climate change fact with those to a popular misinformation campaign. When presented consecutively, the false material completely cancelled out the accurate statement in people’s minds – opinions ended up back where they started.

Researchers then added a small dose of misinformation to delivery of the climate change fact, by briefly introducing people to distortion tactics used by certain groups. This “inoculation” helped shift and hold opinions closer to the truth – despite the follow-up exposure to ‘fake news’.
The study on US attitudes found the inoculation technique shifted the climate change opinions of Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike.

“Misinformation can be sticky, spreading and replicating like a virus,” says lead author Dr Sander van der Linden, a social psychologist from the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab.

“We wanted to see if we could find a ‘vaccine’ by pre-emptively exposing people to a small amount of the type of misinformation they might experience. A warning that helps preserve the facts.

“The idea is to provide a cognitive repertoire that helps build up resistance to misinformation, so the next time people come across it they are less susceptible.”

To find the most compelling climate change falsehood currently influencing public opinion, van der Linden and colleagues tested popular statements from corners of the internet on a nationally representative sample of US citizens, with each one rated for familiarity and persuasiveness.

The winner: the assertion that there is no consensus among scientists, apparently supported by the Oregon Global Warming Petition Project. This website claims to hold a petition signed by “over 31,000 American scientists” stating there is no evidence that human CO2 release will cause climate change.

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“..to You, the People”

The tone is right on, except in reality it’s the powerless who are being ripped from their beds.

That’s the resonant fictional depiction. Below, the reality.

Charles Blow in the NYTimes:

On Friday, Donald J. Trump, the embodiment, instrument and provocateur of American animus, was installed — and I use that word with purpose and displeasure — as America’s 45th president. He delivered a particularly inauspicious speech to a seemingly sparse crowd, presenting a vision for America that would best be described as aggressive atavism, a retrograde positioning of policy that threatens to drag the country back to a time of division and fear and hostility, when some stand in the light by casting others into darkness.

The speech was replete with phrases never before uttered in an Inaugural Address. Bleed, carnage, depletion and disrepair. Ripped, rusted and stolen. Tombstones, trapped and windswept. Urban, sad and Islamic. It felt at times as though he were reading aloud from a post-apocalyptic movie script.

Indeed, some have pointed out that portions of the speech sounded eerily familiar to one delivered by the movie villain Bane in the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.” Bane, too, promises: “We take Gotham from the corrupt! The rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you, the people,” even as he plunges the fictitious city into chaos.

There were few overtures to his opponents, let alone his enemies, little attempt to seek unity and amity. The Dean of Discord made clear his purpose and his plan: It is not to bring America together but to rip it asunder.

DC Urban Moms and Dads:

If you are puzzled by the bizarre “press conference” put on by the White House press secretary this evening (angrily claiming that Trump’s inauguration had the largest audience in history, accusing them of faking photos and lying about attendance), let me help explain it. This spectacle served three purposes:

1. Establishing a norm with the press: they will be told things that are obviously wrong and they will have no opportunity to ask questions. That way, they will be grateful if they get anything more at any press conference. This is the PR equivalent of “negging,” the odious pick-up practice of a particular kind of horrible person (e.g., Donald Trump).
Continue reading ““..to You, the People””

A Conversation with a Trump Voter

Our local paper published my piece on a recent conversation with a Trump voter.

And yes, it’s fiction, but based on fact, much like the Dr. Who quote above

Midland Daily News:

So, I finally got my emotions stabilized enough to chat with my Trump voter friend — let’s call him “Forrest.”

“Forrest, what I can’t understand is, the first thing Trump is going to do is cancel Obamacare. What are you going to do about health insurance?”

“Oh, I never signed up for that Muslim Socialist Obamacare, I’m with the Affordable Care Act — that’s much better insurance that the Republicans passed!”

I explained that the Affordable Care Act was Obamacare, but Forrest demurred, “No, I saw Trump the other day, he said they were going to make our health insurance even better. In fact, huge. And tremendous! I can’t wait to get rid of all the death panels, the FEMA camps, and for the government to stop intruding in my life!”

“So, you’re ready to have your Medicare reduced to a voucher? And the age of eligibility raised?”

“Oh, Mr. Trump would never do that. He wants to make America Great Again.”

“But it’s in the Republican platform!”

trumpgump

He switched course.

“Here’s what I’m mad about, people that say Mr. Trump is ‘illegitimate’ even before he’s sworn in!” he said.

Peeling my jaw off the counter, I blurted, “But, Donald Trump built his political career claiming Mr. Obama was not an American, and therefore ineligible to be president!”

“Oh, I’m sure Mr. Trump was just saying that to win an election, he doesn’t really believe it.”

“But,” says I, “…You told me that yourself! In fact, as recently as August, 41 percent of Republicans didn’t believe Obama was born in the U.S. — and another 31 percent weren’t sure. It’s an astonishing disconnect from reality!”

‘Well, he doesn’t believe it any more.”

“But then, how do you know what he does believe?”

“I do know. He wants to make America Great Again.”

Continue reading “A Conversation with a Trump Voter”

The Way Forward: Local, Vocal, and Don’t Back Down

I’ve been posting clips from Jeff Masters, Ben Santer, John Cook, and others from a roundtable gathering in San Francisco during the American Geophysical Union meeting in December.

At the end of the presentations, I broke with my usual practice and stepped from behind the camera to talk about the way forward.

Signs of the Times

signscience

I decided to follow my own advice, and be Local and Vocal, went to our local anti-Trump demo.  One of the first things you notice is the fun, good spirits, and sometimes, wisdom of the signs people are bringing out.

Saturday’s demonstrations were impressive, but they will only be a sea change if those of us who care about the future of life on the planet begin a strong follow up in coming days.

signseeds

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As Trump Moves to 19th Century, World Jostles for Clean Energy Leadership

trumptroll

Republican’s Steam powered Time Trolley lurches into the past, giving an opening to our economic rivals to take over leadership of the new industrial revolution.

Guardian:

Scotland is seeking to dramatically cut its reliance on fossil fuels for cars, energy and homes after setting a radical target to cut total climate emissions by 66% within 15 years.
In one of the world’s most ambitious climate strategies, ministers in Edinburgh have unveiled far tougher targets to increase the use of ultra-low-carbon cars, green electricity and green home heating by 2032.

The Scottish government has set the far higher target after its original goal of cutting Scotland’s emissions by 42% by 2020 was met six years early – partly because climate change has seen winters which are warmer than normal, cutting emissions for home heating.

The new strategy, which is expected to cost up to £3bn a year to implement and is closely linked to a new renewable energy programme due to be published this month, will call for:

• 40% of all new cars and vans sold in Scotland to be ultra-low-emission by 2032, with 50% of Scotland’s buses to be low-carbon.

• A totally carbon-free electricity sector based entirely on renewable energy sources by 2032, when Scotland’s last nuclear power station will close.

• Four out of five of Scotland’s 2m homes to be heated using low-carbon technologies.

• The repairing of 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands, which store a total of 1.7 gigatonnes of CO2 in Scotland.

• At least 30% of Scotland’s vital publicly owned ferry fleet to be low-carbon, powered by hybrid engines.

Newsweek:

President-elect Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax created by the Chinese. The Chinese disagree—and are pumping billions of dollars’ worth of investments into green energy over the next three years.

On Thursday, Reuters published details of the latest installment of China’s plans to break its deadly use of coal, an addiction that makes it the world’s worst greenhouse gas emitter.

Continue reading “As Trump Moves to 19th Century, World Jostles for Clean Energy Leadership”