Today's (August 3) edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends included a remarkable exchange on the issue of SpongeBob Squarepants, climate change science, and the state of science education in the U.S. Apparently, using cartoons to teach children about important science issues of the day raises hackles at Fox, especially when those issues are at odds with their political perspectives. In particular, Fox & Friends attacked SpongeBob for an episode in which the role of human emissions (or at least SpongeBob and Mr. Krab's emissions) of carbon dioxide in global warming is made clear -- a scientific fact well understood for over a century.
Fox's Steve Doocy acknowledges that the planet is warming; but doesn't understand why. He says "the big question is, 'is it manmade, or is it just one of those gigantic climatic phases that we're going through.'" A colleague says "It's unproven science."
But for Gretchen Carlson, it isn't enough that the show tackled an issue of public concern, she just doesn't understand SpongeBob at all. She said "it's hard to even follow sometimes," while another commentator is heard saying "I don't get it."
[Thanks to Media Matters for pointing this out]:
Of course, the idea that humans are largely responsible for the growing changes in climate that we are observing around the world is not scientifically controversial -- just politically controversial at places like Fox & Friends. Every single professional scientific organization in the geosciences and every single national academy of sciences acknowledges the major contribution of humans to climate change -- here is just a partial list. There is still controversy, especially over how policymakers should tackle the problem, but the "scientific controversy" is only evident in the right-wing media among commentators, bloggers, and editorial boards.
What is particularly ironic about this Fox & Friends episode is that after misrepresenting the science themselves, they lament the state of science education in the U.S. and call for improvement. Perhaps we could start with the commentators at Fox & Friends.
Follow Peter H. Gleick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PeterGleick
ignorance remains absolutely unchanged. The Gretchen Carlson is Uncertain Corollary. .....
Of course SpongeBob is smarter than your average Doocy. As is any kid out of training pants.
http://nsidc.org/images/arcticseaicenews/20110803_Figure3.png
Didn't we just get that fixed a few years ago?
http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/en/home/seaice_extent.htm
but the rate of arctic ice decline for this time of year looks to rank amongst the steepest recorded, so in that sense, it appears to be still broken..
If you can wait until October, they usually start making ice again then...
But we can control our contribution, can't we?
"The whole thing is a way for scientists to feed at the public trough."
How'd they get the planet to heat up?
(something in the middle)
... now let's say they are not correct.
Let's just say you don't have much to say.
Of course, I should point out that my kindergartener has no trouble following Spongebob whatsoever. But then she's pretty bright for a 5 year old...
I dont watch FOX News of course... but I also dont watch FOX Sports, FX, or local Fox channels or take a Murdock Scandle sheet..
If the 40%-60% of Americans that feel that FOX News is bad for America did that, such that all their businesses had a 40% drop in revenue due to drop in audiences... things would change....
Regards
Final answer: silicone implants are OK, they are back!!
I have no idea why climate change is happeneing. Man has something to do with it. Al Gore hyped things in his book and movie!! Cap and Tax is not the way to deal with it!! I am with Bjorn Lomborg on solutions.
Hurray! No longer will the lawyers get rich.....just the surgeons!
Our largest Electric utilities such as Duke Energy actually support it. The obstacal is Big Energy... do you think thye want us to burn 2/3s less energy and have lower electric bills?
Its the same reason repugs came out againts they own Light Bulb Energy Efficeincy Bill passed in 20077 and sigtned by BUsh.. it cuts electric usage by 7%, than means 7% less coal, saves Americans 6 billion per year( a cost to big energy) and the 80% of the new efficeint Bulbs are made in the U.S. while 100% of the cheap inefficent bulbs are made in China and repugs are slaves to the creating jobs for the Commnist Party of China and killing jobs in America..
Regards
Regards
Regards
Roy Spencer incorrectly analyzed NASA satellite data for many years until he was audited and corrected by independent scientists.
Addressing one of HUPOFYU's claims:
"Recent NASA study that C02 levels in uppper atmosphere do NOT match global warming alarmists claims and projections"
Heartland Institute propaganda misleading the public to the contrary notwithstanding, what HUPOFYU is referring to is not a NASA study. It is instead the University of Alabama, Huntsville's (UAH) Dr. Roy Spencer's latest NASA satellite data-related analysis.
Roy Spencer analyzed and reported NASA satellite data incorrectly (as the UAH global temperature satellite dataset) for many years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/18/science/earth/18CLIM.html
http://www.skepticalscience.com/satellite-measurements-warming-troposphere.htm
Roy Spencer's climate science has been repeatedly debunked by other climate scientists.
http://bbickmore.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/roy-spencers-great-blunder-part-1/
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2008/05/how-to-cook-a-graph-in-three-easy-lessons/
Roy Spencer believes that per the Bible God will protect us from global warming.
http://www.cornwallalliance.org/blog/item/prominent-signers-of-an-evangelical-declaration-on-global-warming/
http://www.cornwallalliance.org/docs/a-renewed-call-to-truth-prudence-and-protection-of-the-poor.pdf
Roy Spencer is a creationist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Spencer_(scientist)
http://theevolutioncrisis.org.uk/testimony2.php
Climate science deniers believe what Roy Spencer says with zero skepticism.
Yet another attempt by Roy Spencer to have climate science conform to his pre-determined religious fundamentalist beliefs and as filtered through Heartland Institute science denier propaganda?
-or-
The overwhelming scientific consensus on global warming as supported including by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences?
Tough one.
No true at all. If it was propaganda, it wouldn't be used. The film is an approved part of the British curriculum. The right-leaning judge did have some comments he added to the teacher's literature. They vary in quality.
Fox viewers soak up misinformation like sponges.
No offense, Bob.