sir_eccles

There was a link I posted a while back from 538 about the difference between misinformed and uninformed. It seems to capture the issue better than just smart v stupid. Here it is to save you looking.

Trump Supporters Appear To Be Misinformed, Not Uninformed | FiveThirtyEight

scrubbedexpat099

We are enjoying a nice bit of global warming over the next few days, but there is a big storm coming through next week.

And I filled up yesterday at $1.54!

SultanOfSwing

It has to be done in stages. Renewable energy isn't without its problems, of course. I think it'd be better to work on moving the richer countries to alternative energy and let the developing world 'catch up' as you say, by which time we will be in a position where the technology will have developed to the point where rolling it out in those countries will make sense.

We've got maybe 75-100 years before oil dries up, coal gives us 350. Part of our research should focus on cleaning up the use of those fuels as much as it should be about finding alternatives.

It's not so much a forced closure of existing plants as much as a conversion to nuclear in the meantime to help with emissions and then we can work towards viable alternatives. It's not an overnight solution by any means and if it's done in the right way won't have anywhere near the kind of economical impact as you imply here.

FlaviusAetius

Thanks, Sultan. This kind of calm, reasoned discussion and exploration of a complicated subject is what I hope to see more of in this thread.

Giantaxe

Indeed. Which is why when you post crap like this:

you're going to get called on it.

FlaviusAetius

What percentage of left-of-centre politicians and their adherents are in agreement with the theory of anthropomorphic global warming, in your view?

SultanOfSwing

And that is why (as touched on by Zargof), if you look at my posts, or walls of text as they tend to go with subjects like this, you'll realise why Bernie tweeted what he did. Just too much to cover. I have a scientific inclination and I can barely touch on all the important points.

SultanOfSwing

To answer that you'd really to need to address the question of how many left-of-centre politicians are backed by the oil industry. There is a vested interest for many on the right to perpetuate climate change denial that simply isn't there on the left.

There are conservative Republicans who don't deny climate change either. This is a scientific issue anyway, first and foremost. Is the scientific community more left leaning? I don't know, but perhaps a slight lean to the left is desired in a community who is essentially working towards the betterment of mankind.

Giantaxe

As it's the scientific consensus, I would expect a high percentage are, just as is the case for right-of-centre politicians in all western countries except the US.

zargof

No, you misunderstand, Bernie didn't tweet that, someone else did as a summary of what Bernie said (it's a tweet after all).

If you look at the video, which I did afterwards, Bernie did as I expect expand on that. As usual Flavor Flav is tilting at windmills.

SultanOfSwing

OK, I guess I should have read what actually happened.

But the essence was the same - you have to keep a tweet short because there is just too much to go into as to why that person was wrong.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Surrounding the word "consensus" with quote marks in order to suggest that there is no consensus among those with the brain capacity to make informed judgments is an indication that you are worthy of the "stupid" label.

Your political universe is built upon misrepresentations and strawman arguments. Even basic facts seems to elude you. There isn't a political debate here, just the uninformed and misinformed cliche-spewing sheep who fancy themselves as being "conservative thinkers" (which appears at this point to be an oxymoron.)

FlaviusAetius

I agree with the Sultan on this. It would have been better for the poster to have included the video - if available - with the tweet, which was misleading.

Bernie gave the best explanation he could to the kid's question, but it would have been better for him to have avoided the usual arrogant - 'you're wrong' which needlessly embarrassed the kid in front of his schoolmates.

FlaviusAetius

You project the image of an absolutely insufferable prig. Everyone should defer to your vast knowledge of every subject and worship your unparalleled intellect. Now if you could just learn to control yourself you would be perfection itself.

zargof

Keep tilting. You really have got your knickers in a twist over a non issue.

You should start a campaign to ensure that every politician treats everyone they talk to or about as the special snowflakes they are.