Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

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I have to admit I am enjoying this. What "this" is, is the increasingly strident protestations of right-wing conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity that they are still relevant.

Really?

From a New York Times story published on MSNBC:

Mr. Limbaugh has also seized on the ascension of Mr. McCain to remind the world that his nationally syndicated program still matters and that he has not lost his long-demonstrated penchant for making mischief.

“Folks, can we agree, just between us,” he told his listeners, sotto voce, on Wednesday, “has it not been brilliant how strategically I have inserted myself in this campaign?”

As Shakespeare said "he doth protest too much" and we are left wondering if these high-tech blabbermouths were ever really relevant. Their fundamental problem, in my opinion, is that they have fallen for their own spiel and at some point actually started taken themselves seriously. They have forgotten that they are entertainers, not influencers of public opinion. They preach to a very well-defined choir and as a result do not influence or persuade anyone. They preach solely to the converted who, the secret can now be told, listen to be entertained. They love to hear their team bash the bad guys. They love to hear these radio wags and their cohorts like Ann Coulter and Dick Morris take it to the nasty liberals. They love to hear "LIBERALS" blamed for every social ill and problem the world has ever known. But few actually believe it.

It is like mistaking the popularity of Archie Bunker with a true belief that we are seeing a resurgence of prejudice and bigotry. Not really. They are caricatures as entertainers but they are not taken seriously and they have no influence and no power. They have never been relevant, they have never mattered. John McCain knows this and so does everyone else.

When you live on the far right edge and your party moves to the middle you are left with nowhere to go. The threats to "endorse" Obama or Clinton are really not all that far from the truth. By bashing McCain, they end up accomplishing one (and only one) thing: to the extent they are effective they guarantee only that their like-minded listeners will just stay home on election day. As we all know, every conservative that stays home is the same as a vote for the other side. In this weird and twisted way, they really are endorsing the democratic candidate and are probably doing more to garner democratic votes than anything the democrats could do.

Keep up the good work guys - it's very entertaining!

I spent the weekend visiting with old friends from high school and college. On my way to the weekend retreat (a small island in Puget Sound) I was listening to an audio book version of "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America."

I heard a fascinating statistic (and will have to paraphrase it here) that only 13% of Americans believe that evolution and natural selection explain the presence of life on earth. That 48% of Americans believe that the creation story in Genesis accurately explains the presence of life on earth. This is something that has astounded me for many years - that seemingly educated people can believe something so contrary to established scientific fact. How could that be?

With this still on my mind I asked my old friends (who were friends precisely because I knew - or thought I knew - that they had rational beliefs) what they believed and learned, much to my surprise, that they (there were 3 of them) all thought that the presence of life on earth had to have involved the hand of some supernatural force/being. They did not believe that Genesis was the sole explanation, but rather believed that a hybrid explanation (where the supernatural force "guided" evolution is some unexplained manner). These guys all are very successful and all were graduated from college with advanced degrees of one form or another.

On a whim I enquired whether they also believed in UFO's and all said that they did. Needless to say, my weekend was not starting out on a positive note. How ignorant do you have to be of basic physics to believe that we are regularly being visited by a race of super-beings who have solved the problem of time and space travel only to get here and leave us with nothing more than some crop-circles and some grainy images of air-borne saucers? How ignorant indeed? The more I thought about it the more I realized that the problem in both issues was the same. A fundamental lack of knowledge of very basic scientific principles and established fact. How did this happen? We all grew up in the same community, went to the same high school and attended the same college. We took similar (though not identical) courses of study in college and, I had assumed, had similar interests since graduation. Why the different result at the end of all of this? (I will admit to a passion for learning science and for ongoing, post-graduate reading in physics, astronomy, biology, and the like.) Why indeed.

I don't know the answer and despite revisiting the conversation and the issues several times over the course of the weekend - I came away from it all without any real understanding of the phenomenon. But I will, for the sake of further discussion, assume that their experiences that led to their current beliefs and (mis) understandings are more common than mine and that generally speaking my friends represent the experiences of a majority of well-educated Americans today.

The questions raised in my mind from my weekend with my friends prompted me to do a bit of research to see what I could learn about all of this. I have not come to any conclusive answers, but I think I am well on my way to better understanding what has happened here. A lot of what follows comes from "The Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby (who also wrote one of my "other" favorite books: "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism."

It turns out that Americans are alone in all of the developed world in their view that evolution through natural selection is even controversial. Most of the rest of the educated world believes that life evolved by natural selection as "settled" mainstream science (as I believed). I guess it is nice to know that although I don't fit in as an American - the rest of the world has a kindred view! This bizarre persistence of anti-evolutionism is explained by the continued strength of religious fundamentalism in this country. But the phenomenon must go beyond fundamentalist Christians - they alone do not explain the high percentages of people who do not believe in evolution. It is not Americans religious beliefs but rather their profound ignorance of science in general and evolution in particular.

According to the National Science Foundation more than 2/3rds of Americans are unable to identify DNA as the key to heredity. 90% do not understand the concept of radiation and its effects on the human body. 20% believe the sun revolves around the earth. Can it be debated that we are seeing a stunning failure of our education system - particularly when it comes to science education? Why don't we hear more about this embarrassing state of affairs? Why isn't this front page news? Why isn't this part of the dialogue and debate in a presidential election year? Ah, perhaps there is the rub. This level of scientific illiteracy "provides fertile soil for political appeals based on sheer ignorance."

Depressed yet? I suppose it all depends on your own personal level of scientific illiteracy. Still, I am perplexed. In a country where Steven Hawkings "A Brief History of Time" can stay on the bestseller lists for months - how do we explain or try to understand the profound disconnects around simple science education?

I don't have any answers but I sure have a lot of questions about all of this. I'm depressed and outraged and frankly, embarrassed to be part of all of this. Can I change it? Can I make a difference? To the extent I can (making sure my own children are educated about basic science) perhaps that is all anyone can ask.

Who better than Christopher Hitchens to voice our sentiments. Us loyal and resolute fans who thought the torch had already been passed. Read what Hitchens had to say here:

It should be no surprise that the Clintons are playing the race card. - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine

Now it is my turn to say a few words.

William Jefferson Clinton. A master politician and an effective president - one that history will remember fondly, so long as history stays focused on his actual terms in office. Then, after leaving office, he seemed to be creating himself anew with the prospects of rivaling Jimmy Carter for making the world a better place just by virtue of his contributions post-president. Hillary too deserved admiration. Sure, she was not all that likable, but she sure seemed to be a more than competent politician in her own right. Paired with her husband they would be a combination hard to beat.

I am one of those who, despite ups and downs and many reasons to the contrary, had always admired Bill Clinton. Not so much Hillary, but I admired her too on the good days....unitl now.

Put simply, the actions, words, and behavior of the Clinton's over the past several weeks. As Barach Obama slowly yet inevitably dismantled the carefully crafted Clinton plan we have all played silent witness to the revelation of the Clinton's. The emperor has no clothes and the emperor has no scruples. I am disgusted beyond belief and regardless of the results of the next election - my view of the world and the Clinton's place in it is irretrievably damaged.

They say Barach does not have the experience to be our next President. Maybe so, maybe not. What he does have is class - something the Clinton's have demonstrated that they lack. When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama she said that in supporting him she felt able to feel and understand (I'm paraphrasing of course) the hope her father inspired in a generation (or so she had heard). I spoke earlier here of a similar feeling I got when listening to Obama's victory speech after the Iowa caucuses. That speech, for me, was reminiscent of Robert Kennedy who was becoming the JFK for my generation: children during JFK's term and young adults when Bobby ran for the prize and Martin had a dream.

That is really something. The Clinton squalor is made worse as a result of the contrast that Obama makes in his approach and his style. He has stayed out of the muck where the Clintons thrive and that, it the very essence of it all, has made all the difference. Both parties (Obama AND Clinton) are revealed for what they really are as a result.

The rest, as they say, is History.

Maybe I should not have been surprised by this headline: Pakistan border gets renewed attention - Pakistan - msnbc.com and to learn that the Bush administration is now apprently heading into the Pakistan/Afganistan border region to re-start the work they abandoned when they went charging off into Iraq. But I was....and disappointed as well - again.

Perhaps the long view that history will take will condense the apparent time of our folly in Iraq and make our effort to fight those actually responsible for 9/11 look more rational and connected. But from our view of the here and now - it is a sad "next" chapter in the pathetic and misguided effort of the Bush administration to remake the world in its own image.

Now that the neo-cons (excepty, sadly, Dick Cheney) are gone (the Wolfowitz's and Firth's off to presumably tilt at other windmills) it appears taht some responsible adult is now gettting us back to the business at hand. Let's hope they are allowed to actually do the job this time. We can only hope.....can't we?

"Hypocrisy." That is the word that comes to mind isn't it?

Newsweek covers the story here of the 1998 incident that led to David Huckabee being fired from his job at a Boy Scout camp.

We can set aside the chilling parallels to the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer and other serial killers who started their terrible careers practicing on small animals and household pets.

Let's ponder for a moment just what kind of upbringing a young man would have had to grow up and torture and kill a dog. Just imagine what set of circumstances, life experiences, and parenting that had to go on to result in such activity. Now, add to the mix the fact that this is a family led by former Arkansas governor and current Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

Is this what happens in a good Christian family? Is this the result of hard-core adherence to those vaunted Republican "family values"?

The answer is obviously "no" and that returns me to the word that starts this entry: Hypocrisy. A word that comes up often when you consider those that endlessly harp on the moral decay in this country led by the nasty liberals. Does anyone remember William Bennett and his gambling problems? How about Jimmy Swaggert and his prostitutes? Larry Craig and his airport liaisons? I could go on (sadly).

Where is the outrage? Where is Ann Coulter or Sean Hannity when you need them? Would she remain silent on such a story had it been the son of any one of the current Democratic candidates (or any Democrat for that matter)?

A little story that illustrates a big problem. Here we go again.

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Should deputies have stopped at locked gate? - Seattle- msnbc.com

One would have to wonder if anything could be more shocking than the Christmas Eve murder of a family - by a member of that family. If you read the affidavit of probable cause along with the timeline on the response to the 911 call by the police it becomes immediately obvious that had the officers followed departmental policy and gone to the house - it is likely that the children could have been saved. File this one under "hard to believe" nay, file this one under outrageous!

Why is the media not covering this aspect of the story? Why are the police getting a pass on this one? I can see what is coming now - there will be a lawsuit from the survising family against the police and I suspect they will win it.....and they should.

This makes me sick.

I can't believe that we have another year before the Presidential election. I am stunned at the time and expense of our presidential races and am simply blown away at the profound hypocrisy that infects nearly every aspect of the people and the process. How stupid do they think we are anyway.

Now there is something to think about: "...how stupid do they think we are anyway?..." Who is "they"? As POGO said, "We have met the enemy, and they is us." (or something to that effect). My point is that we get what we deserve and that "they" really is us.

This is what happens when we don't pay attention. This is what happens when we take, when we settle for what we have.

 Well, so much for intelligent design......great to see evolutionary adaptation befre our eyes!

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Virgin Komodo dragon gives birth - Science - MSNBC.com

Ok - don't know about you, but I have had more than enough of this. Methinks that if I were to confess to being the mastermind behind the 9-11 terrorist attacks there could be found more evidence to support that charge than there is going to be for this guys guilt in the killing of Ramsey.

Our collective need for this spectacle is just pathetic and embarassing. 

Link to Ramsey suspect in L.A. jail - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com

A vigorous discussion of issues is one thing - but when a substnatial number of adults in this country actually do not believe in evolution it seems clear that something is terribly wrong. 

Link to Did Humans Evolve? Not Us, Say Americans - New York Times

I can't beleive all the energy expended in the "debate" over the validity of the theory of evolution or the worth of Intelligent Design as a legitimate alternative theory.

There are so many great resources that clearly articulate the issues and arguments. This is one of them:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2&path=ASIN/0802775640&tag=everythyoukno-20&camp=1789&creative=9325"><img border="0" src="0802775640.01._AA_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=everythyoukno-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0802775640" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />

Just downloaded this software and am giving it a spin. So far - so good. test a picture:

you gotta be kidding, right? 

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Vatican affirms ban on gay priests - Europe - MSNBC.com
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 Please give it a rest. It is hardly even "responsible journalism" to build a story around information on websites created by people who are clearly delusional. You cite www.Abbaswatchman.com  - have you looked at this site? Not only does it predict the end times - it also documents other reliable information like: bush and cia were responsible for 9-11 attacks......Osama Bin Laden works for the CIA.....sheesh what a nut.

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Apocalypse, now? - Hurricanes' Aftermath - MSNBC.com
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