Science Debate 2008

[anterus]

Here's an interesting bit. Answers from both candidates on 14 top science issues (well, except global warming, which is a top drek issue, and they both buy into it).

Science Debate 2008Something I found interesting to note, Obama talks a lot about spending money, whereas McCain talks a lot about promoting businesses. Not surprising, I suppose,

Comments

[jazzfish]

global warming, which is a top drek issue

Care to unpack that a bit?

[anterus]

Anthropogenic Global Climate Change (current fad: Global Warming, was Global Cooling in the...70s was it?) is not supported by anything resembling good science. At some point, I may have time to dig up supporting links.

[vond]

I don't think you can argue that the current *peer reviewed* science supports AGCC though. If you want to provide a link to refute it, it must be something peer reviewed, not just one guy's research - there are lots of fringe scientists who have this theory or that theory, but there are also scientists who still believe in steady-state cosmology, too. While the scientific method encourages dissension, policy needs to be made based on the overwhelming opinions, not the fringers.

And anyway, what's cutting carbon emissions going to hurt? It's not like the economy can get any worse.

[anterus]

Well, I don't have any objection to cleaner energy or more renewable energy sources, on principle, I think they're getting pushed before they're economically viable, on the basis of AGCC, and is thus damaging companies and inhibiting our economy.

It's also being used to push things like hybrid vehicles, because, once they're in-use, they're lower-emission, but they still suffer from large manufacturing carbon footprints (as I hear it, the batteries for...Priuses, I think, are produced at what is known as the most-polluting factory in Canada) and low lifespans (let me know if your Prius gets to 230,000 miles without any major overhauls to drivetrain or batteries).

[byrdde]

This is unrelated to the actual content of the article (I'm still reading it), but, rhetorically, the blue and red text aren't a great choice. The reasons for using them are obvious, but people have such strong cultural and personal associations with different colors that the color of the text could cause unconscious feelings of hostility or placidity, distracting from the actual words. It always makes me a little sad when I see something so simple that can potentially interfere with important information.

[anterus]

Well, yeah, there's a balance that needs to be struck.