Countdown: Palin Wants To Help Special Needs Kids By Doing Away With Science
By Nicole Belle Saturday Oct 25, 2008 9:00am
Oh, the gaffe-a-minute, never-vet-any-campaign-speech joy of the McCain campaign. Sarah Palin debuted both a new set of glasses and a new talking point about the way that the McCain/Palin administration will be smarter about the way government funds important programs:
Where does a lot of that earmark money end up anyway? [snip] You've heard about some of these pet projects they really don't make a whole lot of sense and sometimes these dollars go to projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not.
Apparently, Palin isn't aware of the kind of research done with fruit flies. Pharyngula:
This idiot woman, this blind, shortsighted ignoramus, this pretentious clod, mocks basic research and the international research community. You damn well better believe that there is research going on in animal models — what does she expect, that scientists should mutagenize human mothers and chop up baby brains for this work? — and countries like France and Germany and England and Canada and China and India and others are all respected participants in these efforts.
Yes, scientists work on fruit flies. Some of the most powerful tools in genetics and molecular biology are available in fruit flies, and these are animals that are particularly amenable to experimentation. Molecular genetics has revealed that humans share key molecules, the basic developmental toolkit, with all other animals, thanks to our shared evolutionary heritage (something else the wackaloon from Wasilla denies), and that we can use these other organisms to probe the fundamental mechanisms that underlie core processes in the formation of the nervous system — precisely the phenomena Palin claims are so important.
In fact, irony of all ironies, fruit fly research has actually aided in understanding a genetic component or predisposition towards autism.
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There ain't no stupid, like republican stupid. God are these people freakin' stupid. And there ain't no fixin' republican stupid either.
Oh, the sheer stupidity of it all.........
that this woman must endure. Do you really think anyone would be calling Hillary "This idiot woman, this blind, shortsighted ignoramus, this pretentious clod"
You may not agree with her politics, which is fine, but to be letting people get away with calling a person these things is down right wrong.
If people on the right were calling Hillary this, you would see backlash all over the mainstream media calling for someones head.
Oh by the way, NoGW.....really, using ain't...
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ain...
Hillary had more brains in her little finger than Palin has in her empty little head. Sorry, no comparison.
My point for me,"empty little head" there are blogs on here pointing toward racist comments, etc... but when people call Palin, stupid, Idiot, empty head, mindless, it's OK???
Give me a break, how can one form be bad and the other ok? This is a double standard, it would do well to at least acknowledge that.
If I called Obama, stupid,Idiot,empty head,mindless, people would call me a racist and a bigot, even though I said nothing about his race. You all know deep down that this is absolute true that this would happen.
Wrong! None of those terms even remotely apply to Obama. He's extremely intelligent. You would not be called a racist, just an idiot for not recognizing his obvious intelligence.
That's simply not true. That is a straw man. You could call Obama all of those things and it would not be racist. (It wouldn't be true, but it wouldn't be racist). Just as it is not mysogynistic to say those things about Palin.
Perhaps the verbs that are used are not nice and have hurt people's feelings. Well, to that I say, too bad. It hurts my feelings more that our once intellectually driven, scientifically advanced country has been reduced to voting for "folksy" people who are "just like me".
I want the super smart fucking guy to win. I don't want the guy who barely got out at the bottom of his class and a so-called journalism major who has no concept of how to use the English language.
So does that make Joe Biden a stupid, Idiot, etc...? Since Obama is obviously more intellectual than him.
This Intellectual discrimination needs to stop, just because you may be smarter than someone else does not mean you are superior. Snobbish possibly, smarter..depends on the situation or the circumstance. Does that mean that this person is superior to that one because of intellect?
Hell no, it only means the person who thinks that this person is dumb and that one is smart is snobbish, and discriminating against peoples intellect who are not like them.
John, if you are seriously calling people snobs because they are cognizant of the fact that Palin is stupid, you are delusional.
Would you work for a boss that you thought was too stupid to breathe? I wouldn't, and I don't want one in the White House, either.
If that makes me a snob, so be it. Where's my monocle?
So Leaders should know everything about everything? Then according to this blogs reasoning people running for office should know everything that you do plus some right?
What discrimination.
You really are unarmed, John! No one is suggesting that a leader should know everything about everything. They should be intelligent, even-handed, savvy, have intellectual curiosity, be open-minded and show the good judgment to surround him/herself with people who are experts in their fields and THEN be able to make a decision based on what they have learned from these advisors.
Please gremlin show me anywhere that says a definition of a leader should be XYZ, this is bogus.
Sounds to me like you may like bone stupid.
Ah, but you miss my point entirely, who are you on this blog to say a leader should have an IQ of X, and if they are below that standard then they are out of touch and shouldn't be there.
I did not notice that a requirement for VP was to be well spoken and intelligent.
But let us look at intelligent, what is intelligent for you.. may not be intelligent for me, do you see the comparison here?
John,
The point is, I require an articulate, intellectually curious, thoughtful, well informed leader. I require it. I DEMAND it.
You don't want that, it's not important to you, fine. That's the beauty of this whole thing. You get to vote for the person that meets your requirements. I am unsure what your requirements are, it seems that all one would need to meet your standards would be breathing air.
Well, by law, there aren't that many requirements to meet, anything outside of those are individual stances but not lawful standards.
I am happy that someone finally understands the point I was making.Just because you require XYZ and I require ABC, does not mean either is right or wrong. It only means it is an individual stance but not a lawful one. I am more intelligent than some people on this blog actually give me credit for.
Thanks,
only your posit. But you're not that intelligent, or you would have figured it out.
It has something to do with the defective conservative gene which, hopefully, fruit fly DNA will provide the mechanism for further research.
Now go vote for McCain/Palin and be happy.
Looks like I was mistaken...
Where did I say it is a "definition" of a leader? I said that those are characteristics a leader (should have qualified it by saying a GOOD leader) should have as opposed to "knowing everything" as you claimed another poster suggested. How is that bogus? Perhaps I should show you the definition of bogus!
Biden may be less of an intellectual than Obama, but that doesn't mean he's less intelligent - there is a difference, you know?! But let's say he IS less intelligent. It still doesn't make him an idiot. I have no doubt that I'm less intelligent than Obama. I also have no doubt that I'm more intelligent than Palin. The problem with Palin, though, is not that she's an idiot. It's that she's an idiot who is running for VP and who could end up being Prez. She is not "just" a hockey mom who's intelligence I don't care a bit about. She is someone who could be leading our country, who could be representing us to the world. I don't want an idiot doing that job.
OK so Biden is not an Idiot but Palin is? So, umm, where is this line that is drawn that makes people above this line smart and intelligent and people below it dumb and idiots?
smells of discrimination of those who are not on the same plane of intellect as you.
between the two speaks volumes. But mostly, you are simply here to present an argument in semantics.
You sound like a whiner. But mommy!
Discrimination? Because I want a leader who is intelligent? And who exhibits the qualities I posted above? That's not discrimination and that's a really foolish accusation. How is it discrimination for me to want the President of my country to be more intelligent than Palin? I don't want the Prez to be someone like me. As intelligent as I am, I know I don't have what it takes to lead this country.
As far as "the line"? Well, IQ tests create a line, behavior creates a line, grades create a line. The lines may be fluid because there are different types of intelligence, but we create such lines all the time. Right now I've created such a line based upon what Palin has said and done.
Again, John, you are clearly unarmed so I'm going to create my own line and sign off. Some causes are lost from the start.
If you are hiring someone to your business, is it "discrimination" because you hire the person believe you believe to be most intelligent, and there for more likely to handle the job?
John, I can't be bothered to read all of your drivel. I got the gist of it from post #1. You're an obstreperous fool, that won't listen to anyone.
SaraH Palin is not smart enough for the position she aspires to. What's so hard to understand?
Go and vote for Sarah Palin, and be done with it.
Wow, so, I am not smart enough but all of you are? Please come back down to earth instead of thinking that you are smarter than other people.All of you miss my point entirely, all of you. Gremlin you, are clearly the unarmed one, discrimination is discrimination, intellect or otherwise.
Nowhere can you show me that it is a requirement for the VP or President to have an IQ of X, nowhere...Who do you people think you are when you say she is not smart enough to be the VP? She is entirely eligible and able to be VP.
As for everyone else that says I am stupid, a moron, a fool, etc.. you may want to take a look in the mirror. Anytime you say that you are above another person, by intelligence, ideas, etc.., you are actually below them because you can not seem to get over yourself.
What I see is a bunch of people who think anyone that speaks plainly is a buffoon. In one sentence you say you are tolerant and accepting of those not like you but when it comes to the truth you actually can not stand people who don't meet your requirements and are discriminatory against them because of intelligence.
The truth will set you free, try it sometime.
"It is not name-calling, "it is a description of the moment"", whatever that means.
idiocy. She displays by her very words that she is intellectually incurious, unfamiliar with standard scientific procedure (c'mon, I knew about fruit fly experimentation when I was in high school) and distrustful of science.
It's not an ad hominem to call stupidity what it is.
However, absent any evidence, to call Obama an idiot WOULD be an ad hominem.
Do you understand the difference?
How can you equate exploiting people's fears of middle eastern people, muslims or black people with calling a stupid person stupid?!
How can you equate inflaming fears that Obama, a U.S. senator is a terrorist sympathizer or is anti-American with calling and idiot an idiot?!
And if people did that, claimed racism, they would be wrong. It may happen, but it would be wrong. Just as you claiming a double standard now is wrong. Let's all think correctly, ok?
What a specious argument!
Racism is hating someone because of the color of their skin.
Calling someone stupid based on the ignorant and unintelligent things they say and do is not the same thing and you know it. If you don't know it you may be in the same group. That is regrettable, but you can fix part of your problem by expanding your data base.
palin otoh bounced from one college to another and had a forgettable academic performance.
not knowing the science of what you are advocating and spewing policy for it is JUST PLAIN STUPID.
This is as bad as when our former Republican Representative said, "Why do we need to invest all of this federal money in a National Weather Service? I get my weather from the Weather Channel."
Well, that would be because Hillary is not stupid. Be honest. She is an intellectual light weight and Hillary is a heavyweight. You simply cannot compare the two. Hillary may have been called shrill, or arrogant, but no one could call the woman stupid.
Sorry, call a spade a spade. Her "politics", as you call them, have everything to do with the fact that she has no knowledge base and is intellectually incurious. She is and idiot, she is shortsighted, and she is most definitely pretentious.
Truth hurts. You betcha!
Look, the bottom line here is that Palin IS an ignoramus. Every time she opens her mouth, some new, fresh HELL of ignorance spews out.
And more to the point. she SHOULD be called out on it. And frankly, if Hillary said the same imbecilic nonsense, she should and would be too.
he's just horney.
I used ain't to make a point. God you are freakin' stupid! Thanks for making my point!
Ain't no stupid, like republican stupid!
And thanks for making my point NoGW :)
You have no point; other than you are part of the clueless minority in this country that still defends the GOP and the likes of Palin.
So NoGW, if I called you clueless would I be wrong or right? I am sure you would say I am wrong, but what makes me wrong? Just because I don't agree with your line of thinking? I could say those that defend Obama and Biden are clueless. Would that be wrong? I suppose Joe Biden saying that the job of President doesn't lend itself to on the job training(speaking about Obama) is wrong or is it right?
Oh please clear up what makes me clueless and you so right..
WRONG,
as has been your premise from the get-go.
If you weren't so "dumb" you wouldn't be spending so much time defending yourself.
Ye protesteth too much me thinks.
Re-read your posts, and if it isn't clear what we see, the verdict is you are stupid.
Well, in Hillary's case it wouldn't be true. In Sarah's case, people are stating the obvious. I agree that they could do it a little more deftly though. In all honesty, Sarah isn't an idiot compared to the average person. That's the problem, she's average or slightly above and that doesn't cut it.
Just think about how stupid the average person is; then realize that half of them (the people) are dumber than that!
- George Carlin
She's not being called these names because she is a woman. To not call her these names because she is a woman would be wrong. She IS an idiot, blind, shortsighted ignoramus and pretentious clod. Hillary is none of those things. If people tried to call her those names there would be backlash because they are untrue, not because she is a woman.
your comparison is absolute garbage. i don't even think you know what double standard means.
So if someone came along and I called them stupid for not knowing how to do my profession it would be correct?
People, please you act and think like leaders should know everything about everything. If they don't know something that you do, then they are stupid?
EVERYTHING???????? How about SOMETHING about ANYTHING???????????
You are being disingenuous. I do believe you are now just trying to yank people's chains. I have stated my case.
She does indeed know a lot, but people here think she knows nothing. You are being disingenuous. You are calling someone stupid is who not stupid, but according to some imaginary scale, because they don't know xyz, it makes them stupid...
what contradiction, think about really...
Think about really..okay, it is a word that often amplifies an adjective
You say she knows a lot? Prove it! Give us a link.
Because when asked about Supreme Court cases she disagreed with she could not name one; when asked what newspapers or magazines she read she could not name one; when asked about the Bush Doctrine she could not define it. I would NOT say this woman knows alot...
Stupid is like gifted, it's hard to define or measure precisely, but most people know it when they see it. By the way, I don't think Sarah is stupid. I think she isn't smart enough to be VP, that doesn't make her dumb. She's probably marginally above average in IQ (I'd estimate around 110 to 120), if that matters. Whereas, I'd estimate Obama to be as smart or smarter than people I know that are 3 standard deviations above the mean (greater than or equal to iq of 145). To give you an idea of the difference, the average person is 100 and a mental disability probably kicks in around 75. So, approximately, Obama is to Palin as an average person is to a mildly mentally retarded person. What is perhaps more important than raw brain power is what you do with it. Obama has spent a lifetime educating himself and gaining perspective. I don't think Palin has put forth 1/10 the effort that Obama has in this regard. So, Obama has superior resources to begin with and has worked harder with them to boot.
said!
Put it this way, the campaign is a big job interview, and we're not hiring.
"So if someone came along and I called them stupid for not knowing how to do my profession it would be correct?"
I wouldn't say they are stupid, nor would I hire them for the job.
You're 100% right, Palin is not stupid,Palin is a fucking MORON!This idiot couldn't carry Hillary's purse!
John you think criticising a person because of genuine stupidity is equal to some sort of '-ism?'
And Hillary endured much worse. Just from posters on this board.
Palin isn't the person to be in this office, No matter what her gender.
Don't be so obtuse.
All of you make my point for me.
When points of experience about Obama came to light, people were saying yes he is inexperienced but he is smart, intelligent, a good speaker etc..
OK, so in this reasoning experience doesn't matter, I will go along with that. So, if someone is not up to par on certain peoples level of intellect they should be disqualified?
You know, as people said about experience, I see no qualifications to be VP that says you need an IQ of X
She is a moron. Period.
IQ otherwise known as the G-Factor IS measurable. Do you want to compare IQs of these people we're talking about in order to prove that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill? Palins IQ is not in the same catagory as Clintons or Obamas. That's pretty clear to anyone who has listened to them. But if you want empirical evidence in the form of IQ test scores to underline that I see no problem with looking at that.
Usually I keep my council, and my temper in check, but as a biological scientist, who has had the pleasure of meeting and working with some of the scientists Palin refers to in her speech, I am appalled at her ignorance, no stunned. WTF !!!!!!!!!! One of the greatest living biologists, Christine Nusslein-Volhard received a Nobel prize for her work on fruit flies, work that has uncovered genes whose mutations have been the basis of understanding hundreds, yes hundreds of diseases.
But you cannot ignore this level of ignorance. Somebody, somewhere has to grab this stupid, idiot woman, and shake some f**king sense into her.
"But you cannot ignore this level of ignorance. Somebody, somewhere has to grab this stupid, idiot woman, and shake some f**king sense into her."
And what should they do to you? The research in question is not for autism it is for Olive fruit flies. It is agricultural in nature and hardly close to cutting edge, unless you are the orkin man. The research you are mentioning is not on this type of fly
Perhaps you should ask if what you are being told is correct or if she was being accurate in her statements. In this case the spin was way off base and her statements were right on the money.
So should you be shaken or just pistol whipped?
So would it be stupid to accuse someone of hurting kids for wanting to cut funding for agricultural fruit fly research?
The fruit fly in question is the Olive fruit fly and is not used for Autism research.
Pork projects included such gems as $211,059 for Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., for olive fruit fly research in Paris, France, and $1.95 million for Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., for the narcissistically named Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service.
Sad that Mrs. Palin must endure having her child used incorrectly as a weapon against her words. Ironically her child has Downs syndrome and not autism.
Now that is stupid, but no one ever accused the dailykoz or media-blathers of being smart, accurate or correct.
I miss hearing from conservative that knows what they're talking about. Did they all die?
If only William Buckley could come back, but only briefly, I am sure he would have something interesting to say about Frau Palin, the banner of books and fruit fly research.
Then he should go back to wherever the erudite Conservatives have gone.
They are supporting Obama and leaving the republican party in droves. Can't imagine why...........???
Juyeezuss never sed nuthin bout no froot flys you buncha librill ijits!
Just a librill plot to give inshurance to a buncha insex outta are tax dollirs.
The problems with Palin are the same problems with many (if not most) über-republican/conservative women:
1. She is not particularly intelligent, nor is she smart.
2. She is almost criminally misinformed on nearly every issue.
3. She lives by the motto "Do as I say, not as I do."
4. She believes that because a few people agree with her it must mean she is right.
5. She thinks her s**t doesn't stink.
See Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Maureen Reagan, Michelle Bachmann, etc, etc,
Actually, I've got to wonder how many of the conservative women have had any kind of independent thought beaten out of them - physically, verbally and emotionally through their whole lives.
Perfect.
Obamas lead has slipped in the latest polls (Rueters/Zogby/C-Span)
Probably due to the nasty attack ads coming from the Right.
Take time today to make some phone calls, stop and chat with people you think may be on the fence about this.
GET OUT THE VOTE !!
Zogby is full of shit! I don't think he has been close on any predictions since 2000!
Zogby lost all credibility when he was on The Daily Show some time ago. I haven't liked him since seeing him on that show. He is an egotistical blowhard and wants us to bow down to him and take his poll as gospel. No thanks.
www.fivethirtyeight.com if you want a poll that's accurate
Anything she doesn't understand, which would be most science, history, geography, the Constitution, is a superfluous, ridiculous, elitist thing to her. If she were to become president we'd probably have Pentacostal preachers driving out demons to help during pandemics, preachers tellin' us how we sinned and caused earthquakes (because plate techtonics is elitist!), and little basic research would continue to receive government funding, all because of her ignorance. Hopefully most Americans would not like to see a return to a demon and superstition filled Dark Ages.
Forget Fruit Flies, Paleontologists Want to Study Palin!
I am beginning to suspect that Sarah Palin is John McCain's revenge against the NeoCons.
It would be hilarious if it weren't so terrifying that she could actually be elected to some major office.
She is not even qualified to be a Governor.
Wait, she is a Governor.
HA!
I have also seriously wondered about this.
Consider the filthy Rove tactics used against McCain in 2000.
Unfortunately, it looks more and more as though this election will be seriously Dieboldized.
I think Grampa is starting to realize just what a vampire he's gotten stuck with.
She's doing the same thing to him that she did to Ted Stevens. "Mentor, I don't need no steenkin' mentor. Under the bus you go..."
It's obvious what is going on here. McCain/Palin are going after the coveted vegan vote. I think they think that if they can muster up vegan support, it could solidify the vegan vote in Alabama and Arkansas while also attracting swing voters in places like Madison WI, and Eugene OR.
Brilliant strategy. And as a vegan myself, I must really reconsider my vote.
dontcha know?
Don't the repug advisors ever check anything that comes out of Palin's mouth? Do they just let her loose to spout any ignorant thing that she thinks the people will buy? They are contributing to the image of her ignorance.
as she is so they can scapegoat her out of existence when McGrumps loses.
There thought's are simply amplified through her mouth. They love it!Ignorance = power to these cretins.
Anybody with two I.Q. points to rub together knows the GOPer's are full of shit and stupid.
Richard Wolffe's comment says it all:
"This is the most mindless, ignorant, uninformed comment that we have seen from Gov. Palin so far, and there has been a lot of competition for that prize."
i almost could NOT believe Palin made these comments. like i said almost. it's obvious this person has little to NO depth about much outside of ENERGY of course. i have to say i would take interest in listening to
Palin being challenged regarding these comments. i'm VERY disappointed that Palin is being shielded from
the random media questioning.
Really, would she know the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics? If you don't know this, you don't know anything about energy.
Palin being deeply
retardedreligious doesn't want to prevent or cure children with disabilities. After all its god's will, so 'no' to research. What are you going to do, thwart god's will?However getting them crutches, drool cups or shit like that is just plain human decency, so 'yes' to support.
Just as they did in the old days, religious fanatics are trying to paint this conflict as Science vs. God. This again pins the world of science and research against religion. Hence most religious fundamentalist, regardless of specific religion (although Xstians are the worst example of this), choose to completely disagree with science.
I used to work with Chemical Engineer who proudly characterized carbon dating, geology, and atmospheric science as fallacies because the earth is only 6,000 years old. A few minutes later she claimed global warming as a natural heating and cooling trend of the earth similar to the most recent ice-age 10,000-30,000 years ago. The blinded hypocrisy is comical yet disturbing.
it's axiomatic that science will be misunderstood by the masses. Ms Palin is just one of along number of folks who misunderstand basic research and just how thing that might sound silly actually contribute to the greater sum of Science.
And I suspect she's remembering allusions to fruit flies from 10th grade Biology(unless they actually raised the little buggers), and thinking how silly and irrelevant to life (i.e. her life) they are.
At least she is consistent in her astounding stupidity. God I hope this is the future of the Republican Party cause they'll never hold another office, anywhere, again.
Don't write off the deep south, rocky mountain redneck states, or places like Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Those idiots would elect Charles Manson if he became a fundamentalist evangical preacher convert; and denounced liberalism and all things intelligent (elitist)!
That's one way of looking at it. Nice approach; I believe I'll give it a try later today.
What a doofus!!
Has anyone tried to get into BarackObama.com? I'm trying to email them some smears from our local newspaper's discussion forum. I'm from Texas, don't hate me.
Me, Cua Viet most of '67 and early '68.
Sarah's subliminally trying to remind us how book=larnin' and high-falutin' scientific research is so un-American, effete. Y'know, faggy.
Her remarks about fruit fly research point back to McCain's crack about the 3 million dollar earmark for bear DNA research. Which to the "base" we hear so much about would at first blush seem very wasteful indeed. But if you're one of the common folk they court so much, you probably don't know what a miracle a hibernating bear is.
When the bear goes to sleep, he doesn't consume any water for the whole time in hibernation. That means he has to recycle his water in a way doesn't have a build up of waste in his blood stream. Knowing how the bear does that has great implications for kidney research.
I won't list the other things the bear has to teach us, insomnia research comes to mind right now.
Anyway those answers are stored in the bear DNA. And studying that is what his base thinks is wasteful, and he thinks is funny.
Plus, bears as top predators have a large rule in regulating ecosystem function.
she called for a voucher program for special needs kids
its bs
its bs cuz its just a wingnut talking point
lets go to wasilla
where is the private school for down syndrome children there?
doesnt exist
this stupid, christian, hooker makes me wanna puke
As much as it damn well should, this won't get any play.
She has secured the 30%'ers, and no fancy science-talk from egg-heads are going to sway the mouth breathers.
To them (the stupids) this is another liberal attack on God's chosen one.
AP INVESTIGATION: Palin pipeline terms curbed bids
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin's signature accomplishment — a contract to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48 — emerged from a flawed bidding process that narrowed the field to a company with ties to her administration, an Associated Press investigation shows.
In interviews and a review of records, the AP found:
_Instead of creating a process that would attract many potential builders, Palin slanted the terms away from an important group — the global energy giants that own the rights to the gas.
_Despite promises and legal guidance not to talk directly with potential bidders, Palin had meetings or phone calls with nearly every major candidate, including TransCanada.
_The leader of Palin's pipeline team had been a partner at a lobbying firm where she worked on behalf of a TransCanada subsidiary. Also, that woman's former business partner at the lobbying firm was TransCanada's lead private lobbyist on the pipeline deal, interacting with legislators in the weeks before the vote to grant TransCanada the contract. Plus, a former TransCanada executive served as an outside consultant to Palin's pipeline team.
_Under a different set of rules four years earlier, TransCanada had offered to build the pipeline without a state subsidy; under Palin, the company could receive a maximum $500 million.
McCain/Box-o-rocks 2008!
According to the comments on Pharyngula (Link above in the article) Rachel Maddow also did a segment on this subject. Could you dig that out?
Maddow:
"let's get rid of those earmarks to study fruitflies, and put that money toward studying autism. Like for instance, knowing about [mentions particular protein, I am ignorant, sorry], a causal aspect of autism, which we found out by studying... fruit flies."
available on MSNBC.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27367...
protein = neurexin
Fruit flies are so Paris, France! Let us say we call them Freedom flies, posthaste.
special needs children before her latest child was born? If not, she has no clue about what is like to raise a special needs child. Hope the child doesn't grow up too emotionally damaged.
She has an autistic nephew.
I have with this article is the last line's, "irony of all ironies". The Palin baby has Downs Syndrome, not autism. So it's not ironic, it's coincidental.
She was talking about letting parents determine the best course of education for their special needs kids.
Palin's nephew apparently has autism, which is why it's referenced so frequently with Palin's "commitment" to education.
I have autoeroticism
So don't get me near any cars.
Considering what flies out of her mouth every time she opens it, it's clear that she IS stupid, short-sighted, uneducated, and ignorant. There's no way around it. You gotta call her for what she is.
Giving her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she is acting dumb for political points.
"I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it." -John Stuart Mill
But is Down syndrome a form of autism?
That would mean she's denouncing the very research her youngest (whether child or grandchild) needs.
No. Down Syndrome is a defect in the 21st chromosome (trisomy 21). There are some theories, currently, that there may be a genetic component to Autism, but it is not a chromosomal abnormality.
Autism is also a "spectrum" disorder. Meaning that people can fall into a broad range of disability. So, there is some thought that some people suffer from a genetic form and some from environmental or other source. It's certainly not as clear cut as Down's.
My understanding was that by doing research on chimpanzee behavior, researchers found that they learn by imitation, and this is due to what is called a mirror-gland in the brain.
Then it was discovered soon after that humans have that same gland. It is what causes people to be swept away perhaps by a football game, because they so identify with the players.
But those with autism either lack the gland or it doesn't function properly. So they seem not to identify with anything and face learning difficulties.
Interestingly, if they can get over their initial shyness or fear, researchers find that the autistic often interact quite well with animals such as dogs and horses, perhaps because their non-judgmental, perhaps because it's non-verbal affection.
No, Downs syndrome is caused by a genetic abnormality whereas the roots of autism are not fully understood.
There are places where there is a high correlation between Autism and high levels of lead in the environment. Republicans, of course, are against any monitoring, industrial accountability for or cleaning up of lead, as they are of heavy metals and all manner of other industrial waste. If they can, they will completely do away with the Clean Water and Clean Air legislation. Bush is once again going after clean water provisions RIGHT NOW. Think about the variance he just sought for coal mining companies so they can dump their noxious industrial chemical by-products DIRECTLY INTO STREAMS AND RIVERS. This particularly affects West Virginia--WHERE THEY STILL WILL VOTE AGAINST THEIR OWN CHILDREN. This sort of thing makes talking against science fit well with the rest of their obscene agenda.
What I really dont understand about that is: if they're so goddamed family-oriented, why don't they care about the air and water their children have to ingest? They've living on the same planet that poor children in the rust belt or post-industrial New Jersey are living in--same air, same water...WTF IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE??
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 09:58 — dejah thoris
Conan...
I am your father...
Oh and I realize there are physiological changes in the faces of many with Down syndrome, but could this research aid in sharpening the learning abilities?
My Grandson is Autistic. He has Aspegers Syndrome. Very high end of the spectrum.He's a genius.I only have a High School diploma. I could talk to and teach Gov Palin volumes of info on Autism.And I'm just a Grandma!
Why don't we just pray, and ask others to help with that?
Yeah, discrimination. That's what it is. We're all "dumbists".
I am stunned. I am stunned and disgusted that someone thinks she is qualified to be VP, or President. How can people not see that she is NOT qualified? The dumbing down of American has reached a new pinnacle. Really sad when my children 16, 14, 9, and 7 realize that studies need to continue in genetics when this woman doesn't.
People need to stop voting for the person they want to hang out with. Start voting for our country, not your beer drinking habits. Vote for people who can and will go overseas and show that we are an educated, thoughtful, compassionate country. STOP the madness!
Science doesn't matter to palin and her ilk.
They believe that whatever god wants to happen happens. In fact, they believe that all "science" is irrelevant.
Imagine the worst of the worst sort of a closed theocratic country - the US may well end up being similar to that if the mccain/palin ticket is elected (or is allowed to win by illegality).
For the sake of our country's future, and the futures of your children and grandchildren, all of us must vote Obama/Biden on November 4!
Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifiying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter.
[Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason]
Someone needs to inform Sarah Palin that since 1933 four Nobel Prizes in Medicine have been shared between seven scientists who did basic research on fruit flies. Of course she is unaware of this fact because, as Richard Wolffe points out, she has no scientific advisers. Maybe the campaign should hire some "communications consultants" that don't just do her hair and makeup but actually try to teach her something.
Anybody her want to take me up on a wager she doesnt know what a Nobel is? I'll bet a year's pay.
Just think of all the things you could do with an extra chromosome.
Trig's getting along just fine, thank you.
sarah prefers her flies butch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJv92VfGAaA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caX3KX6U4J4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01GRuQ3MWnw
Anybody who has 5 kids is not thinking about the environment. Try birth control, for herself and her teenage daughter. She will have a lot on her hands as a new grandmother and having a special needs child, she should stay home and tend to her own flock than try to run our country.
I am the director of an organization representing a rare disorder called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Because it is so rare, human genetics studies are nearly impossible. In the last ten years, we have identified three genes responsible for PCD by studying genetic orthologs in a single-celled algae called Chlamydomonos--literally all we know about PCD came from basic science research in pond scum.
I was furious that the woman who wants to establish national policies on health and science would, in her ignorance, ridicule this important work. A recent article by the Massachusetts General Cancer Center published in the peer-reviewed journal Current Opinion in Genetic Development states that “more than 60% of genes implicated in human disease have Drosophila orthologues.” I can only imagine how sick I would have felt if she had decided to ridicule Chlamydomonas research to score her ridiculous political points.
It took me less than five minutes to compile a list from the National Library of Medicine of fruit fly research publications that relate directly to human disease. A very short list of human diseases with fruit fly genetic correlates includes neurological and neurodegenerative disorders (including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and spinal muscular atrophy), birth defects, development delays (including autism), tumor suppressor genes (ironically in melanoma, your running mate’s genetic curse), infertility polycystic kidney disease, deadly and catastrophic lipid metabolism disorders, and Huntington’s chorea. I don't think it's too much to expect our national leaders to do at least that much before they create and speechify about policy positions.
The only thing sarah's interested in what you said:
http://blog.nbc.com/latenight/clamato.jpg
Science is for chumps, intellectuals, the elite and Socialists.
Seriously, the best to you on your endeavors. These morans fail to realise that a breakthrough in one area, on one gene, can open countless numbers of more doors in other areas. But why would they? It's a science thing.
Palin embraces ignorance with the fervor of a sideshow barker. She is truly a freak of politics and as fascinating as a snake. She hates without thought, derides without information and charms an ever narrowing mindset. She is the epitome of everything that is wrong with the right without including anything that is good. She indicts John McCain's judgement every time she opens her mouth.
McCain knows that her performance indicts him as well as or better than anyone. Angry as it must make him, he still isn't man enough to admit it when he blows it. He definitely shot himself in the foot. But he'll shoot the other foot before he'll admit he made a mistake.
I am not really as worried about McCain's feet as i am about our country and what he is not man enough to do to keep it from being destroyed.
He's a long way out from that.
but she is so fuckin' stupid they need to keep her AWAY from the goddam microphone. I guess the cam's okay cuz she plays to well to all the MILF fans she's got--but FOR GOD'S SAKE DONT LET ANYONE HEAR WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY. It's a thousand times worse than any stupidity that came/comes out of Bush's mouth; or the senile imbecilities that Reagan used to blather before his handlers got wise and started scripting every word he uttered in front of a microphone--and then hurried him away when the reporters started shouting questions over the helicopter engine--which they would start up as he reached the end of his prepared remarks so that he "couldn't hear" their questions.
Palin's handlers haven't even THAT kind of shrewdness. Man this campaign has totally torpedoed itself. I must say I'm enjoying the show all the way to the bottom.
Palin is just an idiot, of course science has always been placed in the backseat when republicans are in office. They consider research on such 'lowly' organisms as fruit flies unimportant or any scientific research for that matter. The only research they are concerned with is better ways to blow people up. What she also doesn't understand that medicines, treatments, etc. have greatly benefited from research on things like fruit flies. I guess she thinks that God just ships the medicines from heaven via fedex.
Obviously the Paris, France comment, whether true or not, it doesn't really matter, is meant as "red meat" to her conservative supporters. I don't think the right will EVER forgive France for not joining along with the "coalition of the willing" in the illegal invasion of Iraq.
This might also have something to do with creationism. Since science says fruit fries and homo sapiens share many genes, it is possible to infer things about humans from the research into fruit flies, as we share much of the genetic "hardware", as Olbermann points about about the nerve protein.
But their small minds don't understand the importance of this. It reminds me of the time they mocked research into grizzly bear population studies a few months ago.
Until they find a cure for Down's Syndrome based on this and future research - then they'll be crying for the therapy for their children. It reminds me of what a friend told me. These rich republicans go on and on about thanking the Lord for their health, when they get to be John McCain's age, rather than thanking the many scientists who paved the way for their medical treatments.
And of course, all this sound and fury over earmarks is ridiculous up to a point, as we know that it only accounts for maybe 1% of the federal budget. I believe the saying "Penny wise and Pound foolish" aptly describes the fiscal policies of the Republican Party.
but I'm done playing with subordinates.
just sayin'
Now, I know that most religious folk are moderate and reasonable and wear tidy jumpers and eat cheese, like real people. And on hearing this they’ll mainly feel pity for me, rather than issue a death sentence. But they have to accept that they are the power base for the nutters. Without their passive support the loonies in charge of these faiths would just be loonies, safely locked away and medicated — somewhere nice with a view of some trees where they can claim they have a direct channel to god between sessions making tapestry, drinks coasters, watching Teletubbies and talking about their days in the Hitler Youth. The ordinary faithful make these vicious, tyrannical thugs what they are. See, I get angry that shows like Celebrity and Big Brother and insert-title-of-wretched-show-here still fill our lives with vapid, pointless emptiness, and I wish the producers and development executives would crawl back under the rocks they emerged from, but the truth is they sell stuff that people consume. Without the audience to prop it up, Heat magazine and fundamental religious fanaticism goes away. Imagine what humanity might be capable of if we had that much spare time! We could explore space properly, have decent look in the sea, find a cure for James Blunt, anything! ~ Marcus Brigstocke
This pandering to the parents of special needs children is so transparent. Palin has no clue what the special needs of her son will be. He's only 6 months old! She's using him. She really is a dispicable human being. I hope the parents of special needs children will see through this.
Even I know how important 'freedom' flies are to disease research. I believe they are the best little critters to do research on because of their DNA. Of course it is her belief you shouldn't do any health research as all disease is god's will! Anyone know if fruit fly research is done for melanoma? Did someone say she has a tanning bed in her governor's office. Doesn't she know they cause melanoma?
Do you remember the historic footage of McCarthy who got his comeuppance when some brave guy stood up and humiliated him in the hearings telling him, enough is enough. I don't know the name of that brave guy. BUT WHERE IS THIS KIND of guy today? Who can tell these wingnuts they have gone to far over the edge. Everyone is too polite or gutless. That's why I think they won't let Palin on Letterman. He is itching to have a go at her.
My mom (a beautiful person otherwise) refused to give money to the March of Dimes when she was alive. The Catholics told them that research into childhood afflictions would make it possible to determine prenatally whether a child would be born with birth defects. This would make people more likely to get an abortion.
So, even if we try to nail Palin on this one, she wins with her base.
she already has the base. it was to appear more vice presidential and lucid. well, she made fun of science that was directly related to the topic of her speech. that's not going to advance her cause to win more votes and gain broader respect. she was not taken seriously. so she lost there.
chrsitopher hutchens called palin stupid, and larry wiped the smile off lars larson's face by saying "it's not funny,lars."
C&L should put it up here.
helped the special needs kids of Alaska by cutting funding to the Special Olympics?
seems like palin is not surrounded with smart people who could have informed her better to avoid making that fruit fly gaffe.
Autism as a spectrum disorder likely has many etiologies.
Much of the work in genetics models has not proved to be useful in developing any treatments. There have been well over 40 different genes reported which have "something" to do with autism but each one found only accounts for a small percentage of cases. It's a wonderful funding source if you are a genetic researcher because you can just keep looking and looking. Much of this kind of research is a waste of tax payer dollars and those dealing with autism are frustrated with these kinds of expenditures.
Autism is not 100% in identical twins which indicates that there is an environmental component or trigger. Very little of the current and previous research done wants to look into these factors.
Vaccines have not been ruled out as reported by the press our authorities. The studies done lack the power to make such a determination. The issue of epidemiological studies ruling out vaccines (DtP or MMR) or additives (such as the mercury additive thimerasol) were determined to be too broad sweeping and was acknowledged by the Immunization Safety Review Committee
http://www.iom.edu/?ID=4705
If you want to see the document, follow the link, then click on Vaccines and Autism, then go to Page 4. They go with a null hypothesis, which means vaccines or the additives still cannot be ruled out and that the etiologies of autism are still unknown.
But rather than try to answer this question public health officals want to cover their butts and make it about genetics rather than answer the question of what numerous parents have observed over and over for years - what happened to their child after they received routine vaccinations and regressed into autism immediately following those vaccinations?
In a Palin and McCain administration you can look forward to new jobs being created by thousands of paid prayer warriors out there praying for your special needs kids. That's how we're going to turn Amerca round, you betcha! (wink)
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