Last night I watched 20/20. I haven't watched it in a long time and now I know why. The first segment was a bit about a woman who had a heart attach and was comatose. Just as her husband was contemplating taking her off life support, she awakens and recovers. They interview nurses and family members and the conclusion: a miracle! Where is the interview with the neurosurgeon or someone who could explain what happened? Now all kinds of people will continue indefinitely on life support in hopes of the "miracle"! They didn't spend enough time on her rehab and made it seem like she is normal now. Her chances of a recurrence? They didn't say!
Then came Stossel's hit piece on Global Warming.
I watched Bill Moyers link after that, still outraged, and became more so. Not because Moyers' program was so weak, but because it was so great! He interviewed Jeremy Scahill about his book on Blackwater.(here) A really relevant topic since Blackwater has been in the news so much and because Prince was given a lightweight interview on television just a few days ago. This is what Nightline should be doing!
Finally, I ended by watching Nightline. The return of the "water-skiing squirrel" theme...a long segment on the autistic boy being found in the wilderness...This is what passes for national/world news? No wonder we are so ignorant. Put this on 20/20 to match the other palp. Not that it isn't important but....with all the stuff going on around the world, in Pakistan, Syria, Myammar, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Nightline does a special interest/human interest story! Put Ted Koppel back on so we can scream "Sell out" again! I turned it off and decided to call it a night...what a waste of time.
20/20 deserves a new name or a disclaimer....the "no Scientific facts site". here
It was just so much trash....a big aim at the heart-tugging, leave your brains at the door, stories. And, John Stossel debunking Global Warming redux, doesn't he do any research? Two of the so-called "scientists" are members of the CATO Institute, John Christy and Roy Spenser. Tim Ball was a Professor of Climatology for 12 years, no matter what else he says, and is not, technically, a scientist since he did no original research. Paul Reiter, from the Pasteur Institute, is a specialist on insects and infectious disease, especially malaria. They are well-known Global Warming deniers who make the rounds trying to debunk Global Warming. I'm surprised that Stossel didn't get Senator Inhofe's aide to be on the show. I heard him on Air America debunking Global Warming and saying that there were no droughts this year and that Polar Ice is actually increasing in Antarctica?
John Christy and Roy Spenser are recipients of the NASA Medal for Exceptional Achievement, but that is not their only claim to fame. They are linked at the hip to Exxon money, Phillip Morris money and Senator Inhofe through the CATO Institute and various other organizations. The CATO Institute is a libertarian think-tank in Washington D.C. that holds regular meetings on Global Warming. Its panelists are known skeptics like John Christy and Roy Spenser. Michael Fumento and Sallie Baliunas also figure prominently in the global warming deniers circle. Check them out, their resumes are very interesting. They make a good effort at debunking the IPCC claiming that their scientists are phony but they neglect to add that the IPCC refused to "rehire" them because their "credentials" were lacking.
John Christy, like he did on 20/20 last night, has changed his tune to say that actually global warming is a net positive! CO2 emissions are good for the planet and for plants and people! With scientists like this, no wonder we are in trouble. Next he'll say less water is good because it causes fewer floods.
Stossel puts these people on as if they are simple scientists who represent the group who say that there is no consensus on global warming. Their findings are never peer-reviewed and they do no research. They write opinions and appear in films like the "Great Global Warming Swindle".
Check out Exxonsecrets.org. for more facts and a neat interactive map showing the connections of all these fine, governmental employees who receive money from the Oil companies and various other large corporations. Yes, I know, it is put out by GreenPeace and has its own ax to grind but at least it balances Seator Inhofe and John Stossel.
Stossel cites no research and gives no proof and makes statements that are intentionally misleading and one-sided. And this is supposed to be news? It is a fairy-tale that we are supposed to believe. We are supposed to believe these "scientists" because he says they are scientists.
Then, I watch Bill Moyers with an interview unlike any of the other talking heads would dare to give. He needs to be cloned and put on all the channels to show people how to interview and how to present facts.
At least, I didn't waste my whole evening.
Read teacherken on Moyers last night...it is worthwhile.
