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Sarah Palin Says 'Bill Nye Is As Much A Scientist As I Am' (cnn.com)

ClickOnThis quotes a report from CNN: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin mocked Bill Nye on Thursday, using the premier of a film that criticizes climate change scientists to call into question Nye's credentials. "Bill Nye is as much a scientist as I am," the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee said, according to The Hill. "He's a kids' show actor, he's not a scientist." Palin, who was speaking at the Washington premiere of the anti-climate change film "Climate Hustle," targeted Nye during a rant against the "alarmism" of climate change activists. Palin urged parents to teach their children to "ask those questions and not just believe what Bill Nye the Science Guy is trying to tell them" about climate change. Just because Bill Nye may be best known for his role in the popular educational TV series "Bill Nye the Science Guy," doesn't mean he isn't a scientist. In fact, he graduated from Cornell University's School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. From Wikipedia: In the early 2000s, Nye assisted in the development of a small sundial that was included in the Mars Exploration Rover missions. He holds several U.S. patents, including one for ballet pointe shoes and another for an educational magnifying glass created by filling a clear plastic bag with water.

82 of 634 comments (clear)

  1. we're all scientists by turkeydance · · Score: 4, Funny

    we're all equal, right?

    1. Re:we're all scientists by pollarda · · Score: 5, Insightful

      A scientist is someone who seeks to find the truth via the scientific process. Bill Nye is not this. He is an actor. He has the potential to be a scientist as we all do and he has some degrees that could allow him to have a leg up in being a scientist compared to some others. Even so, he has chosen to be an actor and an activist. At this stage, he is at most a science enthusiast. Once he starts a serious research project about something we don't already know the answer to and develops his various hypotheses and then proceeds to develop and run a methodology to test them, then I'll call him a scientist.

    2. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      A scientist is someone who seeks to find the truth via the scientific process. Bill Nye is not this. He is an actor.

      He's a popularizer. Just like Carl Sagan, Popularizers are despised by many in science, because they are considered "actors" and they are equally despised by people like Sarah Palin, Who are in fact, either idiots, or trying to look like one. If you've heard her speeches lately, she is virtually incoherent.

      And in fact, is there a shit to be given when a person is right? As I recall, Bill is calle "The science guy"

      Unless of course, you ascribe to Sarah Palin's brand of science. Whic isn't science at all, but denial of science.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    3. Re:we're all scientists by rahvin112 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You don't need a degree, research budget and to be published to be a scientist.

      Science is a methodology for studying the natural world that is the best method we have for separating out human weaknesses in the process, anyone can do it. But to do science and practice it you need to follow the methods. Sarah Palin hasn't followed those methods at any time in her entire life, Bill Nye has.

    4. Re:we're all scientists by buchner.johannes · · Score: 4, Insightful

      He is a science communicator. He goes to scientific research and presents it to the public in an understandable way. When he has questions, he asks scientists.
      Sarah Palin does not consult scientists. That's why Bill Nye is considered an authority when he speaks. Not because he contributed, but because what he says is based on scientific research.

      --
      NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
    5. Re:we're all scientists by T.E.D. · · Score: 4, Insightful

      He doesn't claim to be a scientist. He calls himself a "Science Guy". This is a complete straman that Ms. Palin made to beat up on rather than address the actual science that many people, (yes, including that "Science Guy") are trying to bring up. But Mr. Nye could turn out to be 10 kittens in a man-suit, and it wouldn't change anything.

      This kind of attack on a person rather than the idea is the kind of thing you do when your actual argument is crap and you know it.

    6. Re:we're all scientists by whoever57 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Just like Carl Sagan

      Just like Carl Sagan, except for the 600 scientific papers and articles and his contributions to scientific research.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    7. Re:we're all scientists by WalksOnDirt · · Score: 2

      A scientist is someone who seeks to find the truth via the scientific process. Bill Nye is not this.

      In particular, he is not a climate scientist. This is not just a matter of his credentials, but if you listen to him in debates he gets the start and end points right but gets fuzzy about the steps in between. He listens to scientists though, unlike Sarah, which makes him a decent popularizer.

      --
      a,e,i,o,u and sometimes w and y (at be if of up cwm by)
    8. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Interesting
      But he was a popularizer, just like Sagan was.

      One of the most amusing aspects of denialism is that since they have no concept of the science, they go oafter what the can attack. Personality. That's why we were treated to years of "Michael Mann is an asshole", which was somehow supposed to invalidate his work. Mann is not an asshole, and the denialists largely stopped pursuing him after he proved to be adroit at their tools.

      Now Nye, he isn't a person on the same caliber as Sagan. But the attacks are similar.

      Carl Sagan, Socialist Jerk http://www.stephankinsella.com...

      https://eternian.wordpress.com...

      I coud find more of people playing the personality card on people of science. Nye is getting the same treatment as other popularizers like Sagan and N.D. Tyson.

      And that's good enough proof that he's on to something, when Deniers single him out for their anti science derision.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    9. Re:we're all scientists by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 5, Informative

      He's actually quite good. He presents as much data as he has, and as his current audience can handle, in clear language and good logic. It's difficult to get every scientific detail explained in full in a public forum of any sort, but he does and has done clear scientific analysis for decades now, and he does his research to be prepared for the presentations.

      He's done public debates with science denying fools before: there was an infamous debate with a creationist leader, at:

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    10. Re:we're all scientists by tombak · · Score: 2

      I agree that he is not a scientist by the most widely accepted definition (i.e., he is not publishing in scientific journals, not discovering new things...). However, that is not the same thing as saying him and Palin are on the same level in terms of their scientific credentials. I don't think the poster is arguing that Bill Nye is a scientist, but rather the ridiculousness of Sarah Palin's claim.

    11. Re:we're all scientists by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But he was a popularizer, just like Sagan was.

      So you think that Carl Sagan was despised by many in science? I don't think so. I can't discount that are aren't some scientists in the world who don't like the man, but I doubt that it is true that many in science would think that. The fact that you found a couple of links of Sagan-haters from an "Austro-Anarchist Libertarian" patent lawyer and a whacky Christian disabled person is pretty meaningless.

      There are people who find themselves in the unenviable position where science is inconvenient to their beliefs for either political, religious or financial reasons. Those people can't argue on an equal basis since scientists have facts, measurements, mathematics etc while they have just their gut feeling that all the scientists must be wrong. So they go after the scientists themselves, as well as anyone who communicates science to the masses (like Bill Nye). If the person wanting to belittle the science has heard of the person then they can attack them directly, but otherwise they will spread FUD about scientists all being in it for the money or all participating in a giant conspiracy to raise taxes.

      So it isn't that people are targeting popularizers; they will go after everyone they can and cherry-pick any weakness that they think they have found. In this case, Sarah Palin has tried to belittle anything that Bill Nye says on this subject by pointing out that he is not a scientist. But if all he does is report what the climate scientists say, then it doesn't matter what his qualifications are. Sarah Palin is NOT as much of a scientist as all the scientists that Bill Nye talks about.

    12. Re: we're all scientists by TimMD909 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Reenacting a famous scientific experiment is still science. It's not ground breaking. It's meant to teach. The foundations, while rudimentary, are still the base of all higher education and knowledge.

    13. Re:we're all scientists by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 2

      And we've been told time and time and time again, you have to be a Cliiimate Scientist if you want to be taken seriously.

      No, but being able to spell the word climate correctly is a good start!

      OK, I know that you were just trolling us, but I might as well address what you said. You don't have to be a climate scientist to be taken seriously, but if you are going to make claims that go against the current findings of science then you should have some evidence to back it up. That includes statements that the scientists are just in it for the money when the only evidence of illicit payments has been from conservative think tanks & energy companies or a price list for making public anti-AGW claims (including to congress).

      Well, Al Gore can, but he's "right". Even though his predictions were patently wrong.

      Al Gore never made any claims of his own; they were based on the science of the time. Were all this predictions "patently wrong", or just a few cherry-picked items? And does that matter? At the time Al Gore was making An Inconvenient Truth, the deniers were saying that global warming was over because it was actually getting colder - as long as you only compare the temperature to just one year: 1998 (the uncharacteristically hot year). As it kept getting warming, the claim became that warming had stopped. As it got hotter still, the claim was scientists had simply manipulated the figures to make it look hotter. No evidence to back up that claim either. Whatever Al Gore got wrong, at least he got the direction of the graph right!

    14. Re:we're all scientists by ClickOnThis · · Score: 2

      This, in spades.

      Science is tough. Explaining science to non-scientists is even tougher.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    15. Re: we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What denialists like myself go after is demonstrably false predictions by 'scientists' in the past that were disproved long ago. When they said there'd be no snow last year 2000 they were simply wrong.

      Who is they? NO scientist I know would ever say such a thing. The models used predict the warming moving north, with the greatest warming in the upper latitudes, but not remotely snow free. The CO2 content in the air would have to approach the Cambrian age, and that isn't going to happen.

      Anyhow, give me the cites. There is no misunderstanding of the concept of science when you make a false prediction. If it is wrong it is wrong and it doesn't matter what kind of scientist they are if they make a wrong prediction .

      You really have made an extraordinary claim AC. Prove it.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    16. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Mann is not an asshole, and the denialists largely stopped pursuing him after he proved to be adroit at their tools.

      Mark Steyn will still be ready and waiting if Mann is even man enough to go to discovery.

      So tell me - Even if Mann is an asshole - even if he's the biggest asshole the world has ever produced, does that make him wrong? In other words, assuming he is, does being an asshole disprove AGW?

      By the way, everyone who has written back fell right into my trap.

      You see, you have nothing but personality to use to disprove Michael Mann. And you all fell into that steaming pile of denialist shit.

      One guy did actually try to add a little science along with his serving of Michael Mann is an asshole. And I don't feel like addressing several people who have politically based physics, so it's your day in the barrel.

      Q: Ho wmany investigations of Mann were there?

      A. 8 independent investigations.

      How many of these investigations concluded that Man was engaging in anything unethical or even just bad science?

      A: none of the 8 independent investigations found any wrongdoing.

      Q: How many reconstructions were performed on the data of Mann et al?

      A. More than two dozen

      Q: What were their findings?

      A: they support the broad consensus in Mann's research and support the General conclusions of the research.

      Side notes, there were other investigations and reconstructions. Including repeated investigations into Mann et al, when the climategate emails surfaced. This was dismissed after 8 more investigations. The reportage by the statistical team that Ed Wegman set up at the request of Representative Ed Whitfield used in statistical recunstruction found some small errors, but nothing invalidating the research, and that paper had plagiarized elements in it.

      Joe Barton launched the 2005 investigation which Sherwood Bohlert, the head of the House Science committee called a "misguided and illegitimate investigation" into the data, methods and personal information of Mann, Bradley and Hughes.

      So your elected and revered representatives went after Mann personally. And how many investgations that show he was right do you need?

      And you don't have anything else at all. Sad really, trying to argue against science with Lysenkoism.

      Your move.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    17. Re:we're all scientists by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      One of the most amusing aspects of denialism is that since they have no concept of the science, they go oafter what the can attack. Personality.

      Don't forget, "Al Gore is fat!"

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    18. Re:we're all scientists by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

      But I'm sure Sarah Palin also "thinks scientifically" occasionally just by virtue of possessing a human brain.

      Citation needed.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    19. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 3, Funny

      But I'm right.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    20. Re:we're all scientists by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Dr. Roy Spencer provides evidence and contrary opinions.

      He also says a lot of stuff that isn't well supported by the evidence. In fact, he once said about his own paper:

      "Our paper is an important step toward validating a gut instinct that many meteorologists like myself have had over the years," said Spencer, "that the climate system is dominated by stabilizing processes, rather than destabilizing processes -- that is, negative feedback rather than positive feedback."

      One has to wonder how many of the climate myths that Dr Spencer has said have been a result of what his gut says rather than any evidence; and how much of his evidence is selected to match his gut feeling. His papers and comments do seem to be motivated by the desire to right the supposed mistakes of other climate research.

      And yet he claims that it is the climate researchers who are the myopic ones:

      They think that the only way for global-average temperatures to change is for the climate system to be forced 'externally'...by a change in the output of the sun, or by a large volcanic eruption... But what they have ignored is the potential for the climate system to cause its own climate change. Climate change is simply what the system does, owing to its complex, dynamic, chaotic internal behavior.

      In his quest to show that climate researchers are wrong, he has stated that the climate system is dominated by stabilizing processes, but also that it causes its own climate change by its complex, dynamic, chaotic internal behavior.

      So take you pedantic ass and fuck off.

      A well formed argument there, but I would expect nothing less from someone who consistently can't spell the word climate.

    21. Re:we're all scientists by J+Story · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Sorry, you lose. Suppression of data is a huge red flag.

    22. Re: we're all scientists by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 2

      He's referring to that "Snowmageddon" storm that was predicted to hit the East Coast, but the wind blew east and the snow landed offshore. Which, of course, isn't what the weatherman said just the day before so why do these scientists think they can predict 30 years into the future? And why does Al Gore live in such a nice house?

    23. Re:we're all scientists by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 2

      Bill Nye doesn't report what the climate scientists say. Bill Nye is a fraud.

      You are wrong. Whether you like it or not, what he says about climate change comes from the stuff that climate scientists publish.

      He and Al Gore fake an experiment:

      That is your evidence that he is a fraud? That he wasn't able to do an experiment in 30 seconds??? It is obvious that it was simply a bit of acting to go along with the commentary for a slick video. Next you will be saying that they didn't really have a massive cassette tape orbiting the Earth as shown in the first few seconds of the video!

      But does it mean that CO2 doesn't heat the atmosphere, as Bill Bye claims that it does? Well no, as it says at the end of the article that you posted:

      I should make it clear that I'm not doubting that CO2 has a positive radiative heating effect in our atmosphere, due to LWIR re-radiation, that is well established by science.

      So does it mean that the experiment doesn't actually work? No again. It simply shows that what was on the video was a representation of the experiment and not the experiment itself. If you are trying to make a point about the credibility of someone from a 30 second piece of footage then you are being disingenuous.

      Now he's pushing GMOs: http://www.naturalnews.com/052...

      You have gone off topic here, but all you have shown is that he once disagreed with the majority of the scientific community on GMOs and now he has changed his mind. He openly stated that this happened after a visit to the scientists at Monsanto. Normally the corrupt sell-outs tend to hide when they have been unduly influenced by a company.

      Would they have put on a good show to convince him of the safety of GMOs? You are damn right. Did they pay him to change his mind? ... You have presented no evidence of this, other than the speculation of some anti-GMO nature lovers. If anyone can find that he has taken cash for comment then we will have proof that he is a fraud. Until that happens, you just have baseless accusations.

    24. Re: we're all scientists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not just teach.

      It confirms.

      It's been done a hundred times before? So what? It doesn't hurt to do the experiment again. And again. And again.

      And if repeating the experiment doesn't quite result in what you might expect? Hey, that's good science. Now it's time to go figure out why.

      And if I claim to be a scientist, but I don't tell anyone how to reproduce my results? I'm either a fraud or an idiot. Maybe both.

      (And if the words "trust me, I'm a scientist" escape my lips, I'm an asshole as well as not behaving like a scientist.)

      The best way to teach science is to do science. Every kid in a science class performing an experiment should think of themselves as a scientist (aside from the ones cheating, that is).

      It's educational to read up on the actual history behind the science of Vitamin C, and the importance of repeating experiments.

    25. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      but the raw data is not always searchable.

      That is not suppression.

      And how! One of the things we excel at is collecting raw data. As an example, we are at present making new paleontological discoveries from fossils collected by Cope and Marsh in the 1800's.

      Fast forward to the advent of computers, and there is a lot of data colleced that may never be completely analyzed, it's just the nature of recording everything.

      Handing over the raw data would swamp the recipient, and even more important, they probably wouldn't be able to do a thing with it.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    26. Re:we're all scientists by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      Not clear what weird conspiracy applies in this case

      It is clear: The Evil Liberal Science Conspiracy. Global warming denialism cannot work without it.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    27. Re:we're all scientists by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 2

      Since you aren't a Cliiimate Scientist, your opinion counts for shit, remember?

      That is demonstrably wrong. If you really think that everyone here believes that here then you must also think that everyone posting here is a climate scientist, otherwise our own opinions would "count for shit" too.

      The only people whose opinions are not worth hearing are those who are incapable of learning anything. They will go around and around in circles making the same stupid statements while doing the same spelling mistakes each time.

    28. Re:we're all scientists by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      You have no opinion on climate change, yet you link to a climate conspiracy blog and a pseudoscience website...

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    29. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You didn't address any points he made.

      Typical

      The predictions do pan out. Denialists don't accept them because they read a cold day outside their as refutation of AGW.

      The peer reviewed research is out there, and much is online. All you have to do is read it. You want Uncle Ol to have storytime when he reads it to you all? Mann, the Boogyman of the Denialist movement has been reviewed so many times, and found not in error that his detractors don't realize that they did a terrible disservice to themselves. The satellite versus ionosphere measurements cited on so many denialists webpages have been correctd and brought into agreement, even by further research by the author. But you won't see that tidbit on the denialist cites, they continue to push the old and incorrect stuff. I've read the paper. It's online.

      I've provided many, many cites and links to actual peer reviewed articles, as either evidence or refutation.

      And I don't do it to impress or educate you or any denier. You have your mind made up, and it is based on political will, and not science. I do it because there are people out there who are wondering, perhaps not having their minds made up, perhaps wavering somewhere between truth and politics.

      Because I've found that we need a lot more people who believe in science, and not so many people who believe in incorrect things, brought to them as science, by politicians who are paid for their version of the truth.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    30. Re:we're all scientists by jon3k · · Score: 3, Informative

      Nye is an engineer. He has a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell. He worked at Boeing as an engineer (including and developing a hydraulic pressure resonance suppressor for the 747). Just because he's on TV he doesn't stop being an engineer. He still has an engineering degree and has spent decades studying and practicing in the field of engineering.

    31. Re:we're all scientists by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      That IS a conspiracy. It still suggests that the world's scientists are undermining and subverting the scientific method due to an ulterior motive.

      You're suggesting that the reason wacky crank ideas that fly in the face of all the best evidence don't get funding is due to some "fashion" effect in the scientific community, rather than the fact that there's not much interest in researching dead, disproven ideas like steady-state universe theory and non-anthropogenic global warming. You took the very same conspiracy theory I linked to and simply swapped the motivation for all the world's scientists to go against the scientific method from an evil illuminati scheme, to a dogmatic adherence to fashion.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    32. Re:we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      Nye is an engineer. He has a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell. He worked at Boeing as an engineer (including and developing a hydraulic pressure resonance suppressor for the 747). Just because he's on TV he doesn't stop being an engineer. He still has an engineering degree and has spent decades studying and practicing in the field of engineering.

      And he's plenty smart, and has a sense of humor, if a little scathing at times. My type of person. He's much fun when he shows up on Bill Maher, and can keep up with him.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    33. Re: we're all scientists by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      I suspect he is talking about this http://www.nationalreview.com/...

      How odd, thatDoctor Viner's statment that snow would become more rare, and that future snow could become a rare and exciting event becomes "No snow last (sic) year 2000 - I'm assuming that was a typo for "past".

      Now it is true that the UK newspaper "The Independent did give a false quote of Viner, apparently by a sub-editor. The false quote had a headline "Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past." http://www.desmogblog.com/2013...

      But on to some issues with even the Ntional Review article - damn, the NR was a hellava lot better when W.F. Buckly Jr ran it.

      They use three winters as a refutation of AGW, and even gloat over the recent few cold winters - to which I say they can go fuck themselves.

      But the concept that three winters of cooler than normal winter do not make for a refutation of AGW, and that someone can simplymake shit up, doesn't mean that the person actually said that.

      Now in the Northeast of the US, the previous two winters were cooler that what we are used to lately. But yeah, that's weather. In other places it was warmer. Weather. This winter where I live, I used the snowblower exactly once. And only a third of a tank of gasoline in it - also weather It's almost 80 degrees today, and I've ridden my motorcycle without any jacket on in every month of the past year. Weather. I make no claims as does the National Review that this year refutes denialist claims. Did I mention they were a lot better under W.F. Buckley Jr?

      I do make claims that when the whole globe is warming up on average, and multiples of years are above the old averages, now that's starting to be climate.

      Onw swallow dos not make a summer. But hundreds of them trampling your lawn, eating your goldfinch food, and shitting all over your patio - do.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    34. Re:we're all scientists by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 2

      AWG is so obvious and provable the CRU REFUSED to release data for 7 years

      What data?

      The data that was given to them by the copyright holding national weather bureaus of several countries under the condition that they only use it for their analysis and don't give it out to other parties.

      --
      Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  2. If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity we could legally harvest her organs.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But she's representative of a large group of people who, when confronted with science they don't like, just discard the science, declare the researchers in question frauds, and then assume somehow the universe will be okay, because, you know, apparently the universe owes specific ideologies a big favor, and would never dream of having physical laws that would create some sort of problem for that ideology. In Palin's case, she's a pretty hard right Christian, so I'm fairly certain she believes God would never make oil harmful, because, well, God loves oil and wants us to burn as much of it as we can possibly can.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      I really dig her! What a naughty girl.

      She's almost all makeup. Here she is au natural. http://radaronline.com/wp-cont...

      fap to that!

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    3. Re:If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Most of the critics aren't even real critics; in that they're not attacking any climatological theory, but rather partaking in various forms of fallacious argument, in many cases, like pseudo-scientific purveyors before, simply repeating discredited claims over and over and over again.

      Here's the facts. CO2 absorbs and the emits certain frequencies of solar radiation. In other words, CO2 traps energy. No matter how you try to handwave it away, the more CO2 in the atmosphere, the more energy is trapped in the atmosphere, raising atmospheric, surface and ocean temperatures. Coupled with CO2's reaction with seawater to alter sea pH levels, the more CO2 in the atmosphere, the more pronounced the effects get. You can wave your hands and jump up and down about how the poow whittle cwitics are so badly abused, but the fact is that the one group that counts, which is atmospheric scientists, say very clearly that human CO2 emissions are raising the temperature of the lower atmosphere because it is trapping energy. This is not in the least bit controversial, and has been known for over a century.

      The only controversy is that it's going to cost lots of money, and it's going to reduce the profits of some very rich people. But that's an economic and political controversy, that fossil fuel companies and an exceedingly small number of critics who have any real credentials at all are trying to make into a scientific one.

      The universe does not give one single fuck about the Koch Brother's investment portfolio. It doesn't give one single fuck about how much you have to pay for gasoline to go to work, or much it costs to transport tomatoes to your local grocery store. It does not give one single fuck about Saudis, Russians, OPEC, Canadian tar sands, or the price of jet fuel. It doesn't give one single fuck how you feel about the physical properties of CO2. It does not give one single fuck whether you want to ignore those physical principles at all. What is is, so demonstrate some capacity to think like an adult and try to imagine a universe in which we are captives of physical laws, and where our actions actually can have fairly significant effects.

      Or continue to be a child, and grasp at every pathetic straw the likes of Spencer, who makes a lot more money spreading bullshit about his former field of research than anyone actually actively in that field does.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    4. Re: If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Have you ever actually met a real woman? They kinda all look like that in the morning.

    5. Re: If Sarah Palin had any less brain activity by KeensMustard · · Score: 2

      So if we take everything you say and model it,

      Show us this model, show us the model, show us the model, show us the model. Show us the data, show us the data, show us the data, SHOW US THE DATA.

      we get two orders of magnitude less warming than the consensus, but instead get what the opposition models.

      Show us this results. Show it to us. Show us. Show us this model and the working and conclusions.

      I bet you don't produce your model. In fact, I'll bet 50 bucks you can't describe how a model would produce 2 orders of magnitude more warming than Arreheniuses black body radiation calculation.

  3. Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scientist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "...he graduated from Cornell University's School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering."

    Wouldn't that would make him an engineer and not a scientist? Of course, he's still significantly more intelligent than Palin or any of her kinfolk, he's just not a scientist.

  4. Things that make you go Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Whenever Slashdot posts a negative story about Republicans they make sure to mark it as a Republican topic but when its a negative story about Democrats it gets marked as a government topic.

    Likewise positive Democrat stories are marked Democrat but positive Republican ones are marked government...

  5. Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Bill Nye is an entertainer... I don't seem to remember reading too many of his scientific publications. But then again, Sarah Palin is also an entertainer. She sure as hell isn't a public servant.

  6. Palin into insignificance by Blue+Stone · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't think anyone's not a scientist as much as Sarah Palin's not one.

    --
    Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
    1. Re:Palin into insignificance by taustin · · Score: 5, Funny

      Then you're not familiar with Diane Feinstein's legislative record?

  7. It really hurts me to say this. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Bill Nye is as much a scientist as I am, ...

    She kind of correct, but not complete. Bill is as much a scientist as she is, but she isn't (nearly) as much a scientist as Bill is.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  8. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If he uses the scientific method, then he's a scientist. Whether Sarah Palin is a scientist, or not, is left as an exercise for the reader.

  9. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by Sable+Drakon · · Score: 2

    Except he has. His B.S. predates his acting carrer by a few decades.

    --
    The Amarri pray for god, the Caldari pray for profit. the Gallente pray for peace, but the Minmatar pray their ships hol
  10. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by ClickOnThis · · Score: 5, Informative

    "...he graduated from Cornell University's School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering."

    Wouldn't that would make him an engineer and not a scientist? Of course, he's still significantly more intelligent than Palin or any of her kinfolk, he's just not a scientist.

    Frequently, engineers do science and scientists do engineering.

    The difference between engineering and science is often one of intent rather than activity. Very broadly speaking, engineering is about making things that work, whereas science is about trying to understand how and why they work.

    --
    If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
  11. You all are misunderstanding her intention here by guises · · Score: 5, Funny

    The full quote: "Bill Nye is as much a scientist as I am, and I know all about the weather and stuff. You know how much weather we get in Alaska? Tons. Most every day there's some kinda weather, the wind's blowin' or the rain's rainin'... Shoot, I can see all of that from my house sometimes. I'm an expert."

    1. Re:You all are misunderstanding her intention here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      You realize the "I can see Russia from my house" quote was not Palin but an SNL skit, right?

    2. Re:You all are misunderstanding her intention here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      You know she never actually said that right? Tina Fey did in a Saturday Night live sketch.

  12. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One would presume that en Engineering Degree would require more than a little exposure to the scientific method. I know that my first year of EE has plenty of lab work which required that I take a logical approach in determining why the chem lab was not performing like the lab notes indicated, or why the nand gate logic was not providing the results that I expected (darn old hexadecimal) or even why the mis-application of current to the transistor made the magic smoke come out.

    Bill Nye demonstrates this things, while Sarah Palin demonstrates things like faith and conviction which require no understanding or application of scientific method.

  13. Just another excuse to deny climate change by walterbyrd · · Score: 2

    Not sure how Palin plans to dismiss the legions of real scientists who have all concluded that climate change is real, and man made.

    Of course Bill Nye never did any primary research on climate change, but he knows enough to recognize real science.

  14. Tell me w a straight face the AGWers are all PhDs by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 4, Interesting

    with a complete understanding of all the top climate models and their error statistics, and that not one of them is a blind zealot. Go ahead. I'm waiting.

  15. Re:She isn't half the scientist that he is by Khyber · · Score: 5, Funny

    You can't call her a cunt, she lacks both the depth and warmth.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  16. Engineering is Applied Science. by rahvin112 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Engineering is Applied Science. Science is a method of studying the natural world, engineering uses scientific principles and methods in applications in the real world, rather than theoretical one.

    Engineers are scientists. You'd have to be a moron to believe they aren't.

    1. Re:Engineering is Applied Science. by rahvin112 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yes I do. The engineer uses scientifically derived knowledge of loading, strengths of materials in multiple dimensions, scientifically derived equations on the interplay of these forces and strengths and uses that knowledge and applies it in designing the structural details. Using the theoretical average strength of concrete they will develop a size of structure and then direct that the concrete in it meet the strength's they've designed for and develop construction plans and specifications to meet those goals. In other words they take all their scientific knowledge and develop a method and plan to apply that science in the real world. Engineering is Applied science.

      If you aren't using science in the design of a structure you're doing what humanity did before engineers. That is simply find someone that built a building before that didn't fall down and try to replicate it without any understanding of why it didn't fall down and the other way did. There are a lot of structures in this world that are still built like that. By using science you can build bigger, taller and better using less materials and in a safer manner both for the builder and the eventual occupants.

      Engineer's do things like design buildings, that even if the building is severely damaged by some event (say a earthquake hitting it) that the building doesn't fall down while people are still inside it. They couldn't do that without science.

    2. Re:Engineering is Applied Science. by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

      Applying a science is not what scientists do. Scientists grow science. Engineers apply science (and business and, sometimes even art).

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  17. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wouldn't that would make him an engineer and not a scientist? Of course, he's still significantly more intelligent than Palin or any of her kinfolk, he's just not a scientist.

    He hasn't done any engineering, he's an actor. Like any other actor he ranks below anyone that isn't a sales or marketing guy.

    I realize that denialists are reduced now to calling anyone who believes in AGW a "Stupid CacaHEad, and that's the extent of their argument, but tell me. If Bill Nye was a carpenter, or a plumber, does that mean his views are wrong on AGW?

    You see, denialists have backed themselves into a corner. They call Nye "not a scientist so he's wrong", But who gives a damn? They don't believe scientists who they say are scientists? Need a frggin program to keep up with deniers now.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  18. Re:we're all scientists... by CAOgdin · · Score: 2, Interesting

    if we CHOOSE to be: The Oxford English Dictionary defines "Scientist" as:"One who is studying or has expert knowledge of one or more of the natural or physical sciences." Bill Nye is certainly as qualified as a student of Climate Science as anyone else; even a serial rapist can qualify to be identified as a scientist if they diligently study one or more of the sciences; a disreputable scientist, to be sure, but a student of science nonetheless.

    It is those who reject "climate change" out of hand--with no scientific basis or study, relying solely on their own self interest--who are not scientists. (I would be happier if all politicians had to become ardent and proven students of "political science," on of the fields within "the humanities" field, before they could run for public office.)

    Sarah Palin's only notable study of anything but her own self-aggrandizement has been her assertion that she reads "...all of them..." when asked which newspapers she reads. That isn't "study," that's a bald-face lie.

  19. Sarah Palin screws up facts. That's news for who? by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 4, Funny

    Congratulations, you've caught Sarah Palin saying something false and dumb. With that kinds of investigative gumption, you may also get the scoop on developing stories like "Local Bear Shits in Woods". Keep the "news" coming!

  20. Hmm by fluffernutter · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, say theoretically I could pick the science teacher for my kids' school. The science teacher can be:

    A) Bill Nye Science Guy, or
    B) Sarah Palin.

    Hmmm.. which to pick, which to pick....

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  21. Re:So what by Intron · · Score: 2

    "UVBY Photometry of Blue Stragglers in NGC 7789". Astronomical Journal 90: 1247

    Yeah. Just famous for being famous. Let me know when you can get through the abstract.

    --
    Intron: the portion of DNA which expresses nothing useful.
  22. Yes he is a scientist by sjbe · · Score: 4, Informative

    A scientist is someone who seeks to find the truth via the scientific process. Bill Nye is not this. He is an actor.

    Actually he is an engineer and arguably a scientist too. He also happens to be an actor, scientific advocate, writer, and several other things besides. Unlike Sara Palin he actually has a talent beside self promotion. If you want to call him a citizen scientist, fine, but he's much more involved in science than 99.9% of the population. Particularly one former governor of Alaska.

  23. Re:The Problems Isn't Sarah Palin, it's Bill Nye by KenDiPietro · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You don't fight with such vigor to shut out debate unless the foundation of your argument is suspect.

    Interesting comment.

    As an exercise in honesty, if I were to assert that the moon is made out of green cheese, would you feel inclined to make a logical argument to refute my assertion?

    From where I sit, I would simply tell any moron who diligently tried to back up that assertion that they were imbeciles and completely not worth a response - but that's me.

  24. Bill would agree. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the summary: Palin urged parents to teach their children to "ask those questions and not just believe what Bill Nye the Science Guy is trying to tell them"

    Bill Nye would enthusiastically agree that kids (and adults) should "ask those questions and not just believe what (ANYONE, including) Bill Nye the Science Guy is trying to tell them."

    1. Re:Bill would agree. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      People can ask legitimate questions if they want. And if you have legitimate evidence that leads to different conclusions, then fine - bring forth your evidence. But there needs to be solid evidence. If all you have is the opinion of some random dude on the internet, then don't waste my time.

      But to me the deniers are just engaging in sophistry - throwing out bullshit arguments, one after another. And when one is debunked they just cycle on to the next one, all the while never admitting that the first one was debunked - that way they can cycle around again and use it in the future.

      If people want to see the science that proves climate change is real, then go read the IPCC reports. And don't give me bullshit arguments about that work being biased - if you are going to claim that they are biased, then you need to present EVIDENCE that this is the case. And not the opinion of some other random dude out there on the internet.

    2. Re:Bill would agree. by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      yes ... except that if they ask uncomfortable questions about climate change, they should be charged criminally.

      Uncomfortable questions about climate change are fine, as long as you are willing to listen to the answers. If all you do once your question has been addressed is ignore that and move on to the next question until you eventually circle around and re-ask the first one again then you are not legitimately asking questions. All you are doing is trying to muddy the discussion.

      Of course, if you ever run out of questions then you can always insinuate that the scientific community is trying to silence the critics who ask uncomfortable questions. Alternatively, you could just attack the credentials of someone who advocates the scientific view of climate change. For example, you could claim that they were as much of a scientist as you were, as if that made all they said false.

    3. Re:Bill would agree. by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Bill Nye, and many others, have said that "deniers" should be punished or charged.

      But did Bill Nye really say that all deniers should be charged? Just watch the video where he was asked about this.Firstly, look at the expression on his face when he hears the question. He looked rather surprised to get that question. This wasn't him making any grand proclamations, but rather just answering a question about what Robert F. Kennedy Jnr said.

      Secondly, the question specifically mentioned energy CEOs and not all deniers. It is not about jailing any old Joe average who makes a statement against climate change, but about the heads of the large corporations spend millions of dollars spreading FUD and misinformation. Nye's answer even mentions the similar actions taken against the tobacco groups who did similar campaigns against health regulations when they knew that their products caused cancer. This refers precisely to what Kennedy said about the subject.

      If you want to claim that this is an attempt to silence all critics, then you are either stretching the truth yourself or don't understand what was actually said.

  25. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by crunchygranola · · Score: 2

    she clearly has been experimenting with something

    I am pretty sure it is limited to different methods of ingesting ethanol, which we all know is God's Drug, and perfectly wholesome and sinless to imbide. And if someone throws a few punches at someone else after a few, whose counting, (or even remembers the next day)?

    --
    Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
  26. Re:Well, that makes him an engineer, not a scienti by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 2

    Many engineers do science, just like many scientists do engineering. Real life is messy like that and not segmented like college, even though some degrees like EE and physics share a majority of subjects, if not classes. When I got my EE degree I was able to apply the classes I'd taken through the physics department towards the enginering degree. Like E&M and waveguides. As far as I could tell, the covered the same material, but physics was more concerned with derivations while engineering was closer to practical work solving problems Lots of problems. Hundreds, maybe thousands each semester. Contrast this with physics whee you might solve a dozen problems a semester, but the answers can be a dozen or more pages long. Look at Paul Dirac, he had an engineering degree.

  27. Bill Nye's TOTALITARIAN streak not as publicized by mi · · Score: 2

    The news-bit about Mr. Nye's call to prosecute "deniers" was submitted to Slashdot yesterday, but did not make it. He was quoted as:

    “In these cases, for me, as a taxpayer and voter, the introduction of this extreme doubt about climate change is affecting my quality of life as a public citizen,” Mr. Nye said. “So I can see where people are very concerned about this and they’re pursuing criminal investigations as well as engaging in discussions like this.”

    When the opponents of the supposedly scientific theory you like are not merely wrong or even stupid, but are criminals, you immediately stop being a scientist even if you ever were one (and Mr. Nye was an engineer before becoming an entertainer). You become a totalitarian asshole...

    If Governor Palin is wrong, it is was when she compares herself to him.

    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
  28. Re:Tell me w a straight face the AGWers are all Ph by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 2, Insightful

    True, but also irrelevant. It's all shorthand for something or other.

    I can spend half a second saying 'global warming is bullshit' and move on to my next point.

    Or I can spend several minutes explaining that what I specifically mean is not that the climate isn't warming, not that greenhouse gasses don't trap heat, not that climate models don't predict warming, not that ice cores don't indicate 'unprecedented' warming, but that
    1. My own experience with radiative and convective transfer models tells me to only believe their outputs to one or two decimals places
    2. My own experience with nonlinear and partially-observed dynamical system tells me that that third and fourth decimal place usually bite you in the ass
    3. Greenhouse gasses aren't a uniformly reflective blanket, the ground isn't a uniformly emissive blackbody, and actually measuring absolute reflectivity and emissivity in the LWIR is a lot harder than people think it is
    4. Ice cores notwithstanding, if there wasn't a thermometer to calibrate the old ice, it's still extrapolation,

    and finally:

    5. Given all of these very real complications and given academic scientists' unfortunate tendency to sweep these sorts of deep rabbit-holes under the rug, no waydo I have confidence that the often-drastic economic policies that are often floated as remedies to this "problem" are even remotely justified, especially given that the aforementioned solutions sound like the same collectivist BS the socialists have been advocating for the last century-and-a-half, this time with a new excuse.

    But that's a mouthful to get out every time. So I just say 'global warming is bullshit' and move on to stay ahead of the next bit of sloppy thinking the commies are going to try. The sad thing is, the shorthand is repeated so often that people start to think of it as the substance of the argument instead of a symlink to it.

  29. I believe she is mistaken. by mark_reh · · Score: 3

    I really do.

  30. Re:Bill Nye's TOTALITARIAN streak not as publicize by SlashDread · · Score: 2

    There is a point where "science ignorning" becomes "criminal negligence". Especially when you continue to pollute the planet for personal profit.

  31. Maybe because it's RWNJ crap? by Uberbah · · Score: 2

    The news-bit about Mr. Nye's call to prosecute "deniers" was submitted to Slashdot yesterday

    Neat how the RWNJ's are ignoring the part where that's talking about prosecuting companies that spent hundreds of millions on denying climate change to protect their company profits, Same as the cigarette and asbestos industries spent decades denying that their products were inherently harmful.

    When the opponents of the supposedly scientific theory you like are not merely wrong or even stupid, but are criminals, you immediately stop being a blah blah blah blah

    Look, Denialists, lets make a deal: you guys can all move out to the Maldives. If it was all just a hoax cooked up by Al Gore, you can enjoy your beachfront property, sipping martinis and mocking those stupid liberals. If it's not a hoax, then you can all go fuck yourselves under rising sea waters.

    Deal?

  32. And Palin's job is done ... by NoMaster · · Score: 2

    ... and done well. She's got you all nicely polarised and arguing about an irrelevance in black and white terms.

    Now you're all wound up and ready to go forth and argue with your family, friends, and workmates in similarly polarised terms.

    The purpose is to shift the window away from rational & considerate discussion to polarised arguing. She's won.

    --
    What part of "a well regulated militia" do you not understand?
  33. Re:Climate science is a failing discipline by KeensMustard · · Score: 2

    And by "successful" I mean a) verifiable; b) falsifiable; [openscience.org] c) verified; d) not falsified.

    Excellent. So the theory of AGW is, in essence that CO2 (and certain other gases) absorb infrared radiation passing through the troposphere and trap heat (or more generally, energy) the more CO2 (and other GHG) molecules between the surface of the earth and the outer edge of the atmosphere, the more heat will be trapped. So: 1. Arrhenius verified this experimentally in the 1800s. Please explain to us, in detail, why this cannot be verified.

    2. Naturally, if Arrhenius verified it experimentally, you would naturally think it could be falsified by repeating what Arrehenius did and getting no result. In fact, all one would need to do is verify that the radiative properties of a column of CO2 was the same as a that of a non-GHG (say, nitrogen).Please explain how such an experiment would not falsify the hypothesis.

    3. Please explain again, where Arrhenius went wrong. How is his result not 'verified'?

    4. When was Arrhenius' result falsified? Note the date and the published paper that articulates where he went wrong.

  34. Re: we're all scientists... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Now it's controversial to be skeptical about what the weatherman says.

    Depends really. If the weatherman says it's raining out, every other weatherman says it's raining out and you look out and it's actually raining, then if you remain skeptical of what the weatherman says, then it's not so much controversial as a bit nuts.

    Also, climate isn't weather and if you believe it's so unpredictable, I'll bet you $50 that it won't snow in London in the whole of August this year. To sweeten it a bit how about you get $100 if you win but I only get $50 if I win.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  35. Re:Tell me w a straight face the AGWers are all Ph by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 2

    (NB: a 10% cut to the income of the 10% richest people in the world is not sufficient reason in my book)

    There you go again. NB: you don't get to dictate what 100,50,20,10,5, or 1 percent of the world's population can and cannot do and can and cannot own. It's called freedom. Suck on it.