The American Physical Society

beclowns itself again on climate:

Well, their paragraph on Climate Science is a rather astonishing take on the APS Workshop. Their paragraph on Climate Change seems to come from the Guardian. Their statement on Climate Action reiterates their rather crazy statement in 2007

Apart from the issue that no one on the POPA seems to understand any of these issues beyond a superficial level (after Koonin and Rosner departed from the POPA), and that their statements are naive and unprofessional, here is my real problem with this. This is an egregious misuse of the expertise of the APS. Their alleged understanding of issues like spectroscopy and fluid dynamics are not of any direct relevance to the issues they write about in this statement. The statement is an embarrassment to the APS.

Either reform is required, or an alternate organization.

Take A Bow, Media!

You’re crushing it:

Yes, it was definitely the rightwing outlets calling for justice for Trayvon. National Review was first on the ground in Missouri, chanting “hands up, don’t shoot” with the protesters. Doesn’t she realize that by pointing to these examples, she’s disproving her point? That they were almost exactly like Jackie’s case: prettied up falsehoods designed to make the case for larger structural reforms? “Oh, sure, Trayvon had some run-ins with the law and clearly attacked Zimmerman, but this is about larger problems.” “Oh, sure, Mike Brown had literally just committed a strong arm robbery and was attacking a cop rather than surrendering to him, but this is about larger problems.” “Oh, sure, Jackie is a liar and a fraud, but this is about larger problems.” The right didn’t invent these people. The right didn’t bring them to light. I bet she also thinks it was also the right that tried to turn Deamonte Driver into a cause célèbre.

It’s almost like the narrative must take precedent over the truth, or something.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Yup, “Left sticks to narratives, evidence be damned.”

[Update a while later]

Rolling Stone can’t even apologize right.

Time to start accusing the media of “rollingstoning” every time they pull something like this.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!