media

Journalism, truth, and climate change.

Submitted by naught101 on Sun, 02/15/2009 - 14:32

I'd like to declare here and now that I'm sceptical about the "reality" of the round earth. There are many dissenting voices, sceptics of the current "consensus", and significant evidence to show that the earth is not round. Not to mention that it's bleedingly obvious - just look out the window: No curvature there, eh?

But despite this, dissenting voices in the debate are silenced. Proponents of the round earth hypothesis pursue their beliefs with a zeal unmatched even by the world's most fundamentalist religions. While it's true that many scientists believe that the earth is round, there are also significant dissenting voices, but were one to mention this in general conversation, or on talk back radio, one would immediately be shouted down, cut off, ostracised. In short, censored.

This is not how science should operate. Science is not decided by majority opinion, but by healthy debate. And while one side is being censored, there can be no real debate.

I'm not saying definitively that the earth flat or round - I'm still undecided, just that the debate needs to be opened up, so the true process of science can run its course, with maximum access to evidence and competing theories from both sides. Until all the information is on the table, I'll be most skeptical of the majority-imposed "consensus".

Sound familiar? The above arguments are frequently used by the denial-o-sphere (denial-o-plane?). While obviously climate change science is not so developed, or certain (or simple) as planetary physics, that does not mean that the above arguments have any weight in a climate context.

What the fuck is up with the media today? ABC in the corporate pocket?

Submitted by naught101 on Wed, 07/18/2007 - 18:27

Just listening to radio national news/current affairs, and this piece about the Geelong ford factory shutdown/worker layoffs and the newsreader says, roughly:

"The Factory's manager admitted today that the decision was a hard one, given the impact it would have on Geelong"

ONE word in that really gets me riled up. It's the word "admitted". Let's get something straight here. Companies don't admit messages like that.

Rising sea levels: Brought to you by mining

Submitted by naught101 on Mon, 03/05/2007 - 09:55

it's true, this website told me so:
http://www.miningnsw.com.au

not that I didn't take part in making that website. but that's not the best bit. The best bit is that this website is actually a parody of a site set up by the NSW Minerals Council, as part of their "Life: brought to you by mining" re-education campaign (http://www.nswmining.com.au).

Boortz on the attack - with a plastic spoon

Submitted by naught101 on Sun, 02/04/2007 - 16:29

Luckily for me, I'd never heard of Neal Boortz up until the release of the IPCC's Summary for Policy Makers, 2007. then in comments on an intro report on the SPM on realclimate ( http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/02/the-ipcc-fourth-assessment-summary-for-policy-makers/ ), a few people mentioned his latest attack: http://boortz.com/nuze/200702/02022007.html

have a read. it's quite entertaining, even in it's simplicity. I thought I'd take a look at it, and rebut some of the more interesting points. If you think I've missed an important one, let me know, I'll have a go at it.

The Online Alternative

Submitted by naught101 on Fri, 01/27/2006 - 00:00

Your guide to internet media. It's free! (yes, both of them)

ned haughton

 

username: > opused

password: > ********

welcome to freeISP.org.au.

opused@freeISP.org.au: > GET http://www.opus.org.au

welcome to opus.org.au

 

Opus is a real voice for students, but one that is going to get fainter if we don't continue to fight. VSU is set in place, ready to be implemented in second semester, and this may be our last year of a reasonably well funded Student Newspaper.

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