Parsing the Propaganda of the Junk Scientists

Insight ^ | Nov. 10, 2003 | Ralph de Toledano

[Little Bill]

Paul Ehrlich

I though he was dead, neo-malthusian scum.

[alloysteel]

"WOLF! WOLF!"

Yet no wolf has appeared. And people still respond to the alarm?

Bad enough we have a "terror alert" going off every so often, but at least there is some basis in fact for the warnings that go out.

Environmental concerns are spun up out of only a very small snippet of reality, and few if any of them have proven to have the effects predicted.

[backhoe]

I've been arguing about this for years:

Scams, Scalawags, and an all-too-gullible Public...famous frauds sold to America

[ridesthemiles]

When is McCain up for election again?
He is being a barely useful idiot lately.

Just what party does he belong to?

[Laserman]

Just remember that the underlying force driving all these junk science actions is money. Follow the research bucks and you'll see the government and looney foundtions funding the research. Sure political agendas promote and give exposure to these fruitcake scientists. But the sustaining force is OUR tax money.

[Gorjus]

When is McCain up for election again? . . . Just what party does he belong to?

The Party of John McCain, of course. Platform comprised of one element: Power and prestige through pandering to the media.

Admittedly, most adherents to that platform are part of the Democratic party, but McCain's prestige comes from being 'a maverick' so admitting to any common ground with anyone else is verbotten.

[LiteKeeper]

READ LATER

[neverdem]

BTTT

[Carry_Okie]

Sprayed on crops and ingested by birds such as the eagle, DDT caused a softening of their egg shells.

That one isn't true either.

[ancient_geezer]

Mark for the *Global Warming Hoax Bumplist

[ancient_geezer]

Mark for the *Global Warming Hoax Bumplist

[farmfriend]

And you didn't ping me? When will you learn?

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

For real time political chat - Radio Free Republic chat room

[bjcintennessee]

There was an article several years ago wherein environmentalists were complaining that no one was listening to them. So they set up a new strategy of exaggerating (sp?) their claims that "the sky is falling" in order to convince the public.

Does anyone know what study I am referring to, or perhaps have a link? (O-Kay -- I admit that I plan to use this in my on-going "discussions" with my daughter who has a masters in environmental science)

[MayDay72]

...Environ-MENTAL-ist...BUMP...

[MayDay72]

Sprayed on crops and ingested by birds such as the eagle, DDT caused a softening of their egg shells. -From article

That one isn't true either. -Carry_Okie

Interesing. I've often heard the "soft egg shell" and DDT connection mentioned by the scientific community. Especially here in California in relation to the California Condor. Has this now been proven as untrue?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Gladwin]

DDT breaks down into other chemicals, and it's those chemicals that have the effect on the eggs.

I've heard of two possible mechanisms. The first is that the chemicals weaken the eggs.

The second possible mechanism is that DDT makes birds healthier by killing off their parasites. Then, the birds have huge clutches of eggs. However, they don't eat enough calcium to produce thick shells on all the eggs. So, the birds crush their own huge brood by sitting on them.

Apparently, in captivity, the birds will have good eggs even if they are fed DDT. This is because they are well fed in captivity, compared to the wild.

Still, it's pretty undeniable that as DDT and its' components have declined in the wild, large birds have rebounded and do not have soft eggs anymore.

The pro-DDT sites should not be considered neutral. That said, DDT is a useful chemical because of its' cheapness and effectiveness. It still can be used in the USA if needed to stomp out a disease carrying mosquitos, etc. It also can act as a repellent to some insects, too.

It shouldn't be used in agriculture because this builds up a resistance in the insect population that only time can remove. This is bad for wildlife populations and human populations. Think disease again - you don't want the mosquito population to be resistant to DDT when you are trying to eliminate some yellow fever outbreak.

[from occupied ga]

Paul Ehrlich

Paul Ehrlich is truly a phenomenon. He has never been right about anything in his life (or at least in his "scientific" predictions), but yet his following goes on and on. It never ceases to amaze me.

I have a "friend" (the kind that drives a clapped out 10 year old Mazda with save the whales bumper stickers) who stopped talking to me two years ago because I commented to him, "who would be a big enough idiot to keep believing Paul Ehrlich?" Apparently he is one. However, he hates business, somehow blaming "corporations" for the fact that he lived his life as a sort of second rate academic and now in his 60's can't afford anything except clapped out mazdas - Ehrlich's prophecies of doom fit his wordview. It is a combination of envy and religious socialsm I suppose.