<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/67666123@N00/8058100951/” title=”3-tea-party-images by dengre, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/8058100951_ca25b1188f.jpg” width=”500″ height=”168″ alt=”3-tea-party-images”></a>
As I understand it a brand new conspiracy theory bloomed on Friday. This seems to happen whenever reality is at odds with the fantasies of conservatives/wingnuts/teabaggers/Republicans et al. (which means that it happens all the time). I thought I would put up a post about it, but then I ran into the wingnut inspired art over at Amorphia Apparel. There are several collections of excellent graphics and typography by Jeremy Kalgreen. The above images are part of his “I’m voting Tea Party” series. I think he needs to add some new designs based on the latest wingnut conspiracies like Obama controls all data, math and polls. That’s why I’m voting Tea Party. Fortunately he has a simple way to collect suggestions and requests.
His “Teach the Controversy” series also reminded me of the latest conspiracy theory and the she-said/he-said forced balanced approach that the media too often takes when confronted with this nonsense. These wonderfully sarcastic designs have a science focus, but these controversies are not that different than the ones hyped by conservatives (and some are the same). Jeremy offers them as t-shirts, downloads for wallpaper and collected in an attractive poster:
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/67666123@N00/8058100853/” title=”teach_poster by dengre, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/8058100853_fcc6df3dba_z.jpg” width=”427″ height=”640″ alt=”teach_poster”></a>
I’m looking forward to mine coming in the mail. I had a lot of fun exploring Kalgreen’s work and site. The modern conservative movement is batshit crazy. They are a destructive force, but it was nice to see that they can also be a Muse.
I like Jeremy Kalgreen’s sense of design. There are several other series as well (Science, Monster of Grok, Sir Critter, Hirsute History and Amorphia). This one cracked me up:
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/67666123@N00/8058100895/” title=”nixon by dengre, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/8058100895_c0f4cabc65.jpg” width=”300″ height=”300″ alt=”nixon”></a>
And with that, how about an open thread.
Cheers
Baud
No porn. No genitals. Sarah lied.
I’m going to bed.
beltane
I’m glad someone finally found a productive use for our wingnuts. It’s about time.
Mike E
Obama controls the weather also. Too.
danielx
Suggestion:
Dennis G.
@Mike E: Weather control: Teach the Controversy
eemom
eleventy-FOUR new threads.
I mean, it’s none of my business and all, but do y’all not even notice when you’re stepping all over each other?
hilts
Speaking of wingnuts –
Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) tore into scientists as tools of the devil in a speech at the Liberty Baptist Church Sportsman’s Banquet last month. “All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell,” Broun said. “And it’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior.”
h/t 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/rep-paul-broun-r-ga-evolution-big-bang-lies-straight-from-the-pit…
Violet
@Dennis G.: Thanks for the link. I’m going to buy some as Christmas gifts. I love, love, love the “Teach the Controversy” ones.
amk
willard shot his last wad + still couldn’t make it count = latest poutrage
Violet
@efgoldman: Cole posted a thread on it last night, plus on his Twitter feed, if you’d like to see more comments on it. Those people are crazy.
jurassicpork
Get a load of this job ad that I actually saw on Craigslist today. The things they make you do for a fucking job these days is like a cross between George Orwell and Phillip K. Dick.
Violet
@hilts: That man is also a doctor. You know, the medical doctor kind. How the hell do they reconcile the science they study at school with this crap?
The Fat Kate Middleton
@eemom: I don’t care. I really, really want a new thread after discovering this I forget where, but it’s Facebook, so shut up:
This is so … so … what we should have all anticipated, I guess, since it’s the retro version of voter fraud, and here we go again.
Dennis G.
@eemom: I tend to think an hour or so between posts is fine, but sometimes it is minutes. There really isn’t a system other than looking and waiting or just posting.
So it goes.
Anya
I know a guy, who knows a guy who’s cousin is an economist at BLS. You know what this means? Balloon Juice is implicated in this conspiracy. You don’t even want to think about how deep this goes.
Hill Dweller
@amk: Obama still has to close strong.
The good jobs report and Willard’s Big Bird nonsense changed the subject, but the O campaign has to earn their money in the next 30 days, and Obama needs two good debates.
We’ll see how the next round of polls looks. I think Obama is still in a good position, but it would be nice to create some momentum for the down ticket races, as opposed to just holding on for the win.
The Fat Kate Middleton
@The Fat Kate Middleton: So I know I sound kind of crazy here, but does anyone else know what’s going on in PR? And if you want the link where I found this, I’ll go back and look for it.
amk
@Mike E:
Axelrod : I got that.
YoohooCthulhu
@Violet:
Science you learn in class bears little resemblance to applied science research–you’re given all the information and told “this is the way things work”. Doctors and engineers tend to be trained in this mindset–where everything is known and it’s just a matter of applying known techniques/information in the right way. If taken too literally, it means they tend to believe that there can be a single authority on everything.
It’s the reason why research scientists tend to be liberal, where doctors and engineers swing somewhat conservative.
JGabriel
__
__
How is it possible, in the wingnut mythform, that President Obama can be an evil conspiracy mastermind capable of warping in his favor the distribution of all information such as labor statistics and media reporting, yet still be a completely incompetent affirmative action hire who can only read from a teleprompter?
.
Or something like that.Suffern Ace
@The Fat Kate Middleton: It seems that this would be designed to keep the right in the governors mansion.
amk
@YoohooCthulhu:
BS. Doctors and engineers (I am one myself) don’t believe in re-inventing the wheel. But they are also constantly finding better ways of doing things. And research scientists are not a special species. Most of them come from medical or engineering background.
And what any of that has to got do anything with their political philosophy ?
Wag
I like the yellow bile, blood, phlegm and black bile meme.
MikeJ
If I had talent and smarts I could make stuff that good.
jibeaux
@The Fat Kate Middleton: I know it has ALL CAPS, but this seems like less than credible information.
WereBear
Because the part of the Wingnut brain which believes the first one is not the same part that believes the second one.
And they don’t touch.
YoohooCthulhu
@amk: Oh, I’m not saying all doctors/engineers are like that. But I’ve noticed they’re *slightly* more likely to have libertarian/conservative viewpoints than other similarly trained people (nurses, medical researchers, etc). Any explanation, of course, is being blown out my ass. I don’t have a good solid theory behind it.
I suppose a better way of stating it is that not all science education is created equal. There are med/engineering schools that teach people to think independently and inquisitively push the bounds of their knowledge, and there are those that teach the subjects in a more wrote manner.
The Fat Kate Middleton
@Or something like that.Suffern Ace: Certainly. But what bothers me (and this guy, obviously) is the degradation of the vote in a place that should be operating under the rules of US democracy. Of all the awfulness that happened during the Bush years, what’s made me as insane as anything is that degradation. How is it that we have allowed, are continuing to allow, this to happen?
The Fat Kate Middleton
So I asked those questions, but must go to sleep before I get answers. Up early for canvassing, etc. Bye…
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@YoohooCthulhu: I tend to agree. For another perspective, you might look at the medical and engineering professions as a whole. It seems to me that they are inherently conservative, because of the significant consequences of innovation gone wrong.
Generally people don’t die when scientists and researchers screw up. That happens later, during the implementation of the research, which is the province of engineers.
Here’s how it works:
A scientist, a mathematician, and an engineer were handed a red rubber ball and told to estimate its weight. The scientist dropped it in a bucket of water, measured the volume it displaced and by Archimede’s principle, determined its weight. The mathematician measured the diameter, calculated the volume, and determined its weight using the density of rubber. The engineer looked it up in his red rubber ball table.
ODB
Is that a time cube (square) i see?
amk
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: yeah right, blame the engineer for not reinventing the wheel and doing it smarter and faster.
An engineer dies and reports to the pearly gates. St. Peter checks his dossier and says, “Ah, you’re an engineer. You are in the wrong place.”
So, the engineer reports to the gates of hell and is let in. Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After a while, they’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy.
One day, God calls Satan up on the telephone and says with a sneer, “So, how’s it going down there in hell?”
Satan replies, “Hey, things are going great. We’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there’s no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next.”
God replies, “What? You’ve got an engineer? That’s a mistake. He should never have gotten down there; send him up here.”
Satan says, “No way.” I like having an engineer on the staff, and I’m keeping him.”
God says, “Send him back up here or I’ll sue.”
Satan laughs uproariously and answers, “Yeah, right. And just where are you going to get a lawyer?”
Ha.
Santiago
Conspiracy you say?
The Brits just sent Abu Hamza stateside.
There is just not enough popcorn.
amk
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason:
And then there is always this.
Three guys go down to Mexico one night, get drunk and wake up in jail. They find out that they’re to be executed for their crimes but none of them can remember what they have done.
The first one is strapped in the electric chair and is asked if he has any last words. He says, “I am a priest and I believe in the almighty power of God to intervene on behalf of the innocent.” They throw the switch and nothing happens; so they figure God must not want this guy to die, and let him go.
The second one is strapped in and gives his last words. “I am an attorney and I believe in the eternal power of Justice to intervene on the part of the innocent.” The switch is thrown and again nothing happens.
Figuring the law is on this guy’s side, they let him go. The last one is strapped in and say’s “I’m an electrical engineer, and I’ll tell you right now, you’ll never electrocute anybody if you don’t connect those two wires.” God rest his soul.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@amk: One of my all-time favorites. So, since this is an open thread:
A priest, a doctor, and an engineer are playing golf, but unfortunately they’re following a foursome of blind golfers who are taking forever to play each hole. The priest says, “When I get back to the church I’ll say a prayer that God might restore their sight.” The doctor says, “When I get back to the office I’ll make some calls and get them into the eye clinic.” The engineer says, “Why can’t these guys play at night?”
amk
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: LOL. A very valid question.
Capt. Seaweed
@eemom:
I rather like all the threads piled on top of each other. Plenty to read. Not too crowded. Having a choice in my posting options is important to me. Trying to end multiple posts and limit my choice is the first step to fascism. You don’t want that, do you?
The prophet Nostradumbass
@Capt. Seaweed: If there weren’t new threads, she’d be complaining about *that*.
Mike G
@JGabriel:
The same way he can simultaneously be a “fanatical secret Muslim” (sorry, “Muslin”) and zombie-programmed by Christian preacher Reverend Wright to destroy America, depending what day it is.
Capt. Seaweed
@The prophet Nostradumbass:
I am new around here so I am not familiar with all the local internet traditions, but eemom does seem to find things to gripe about.
Mnemosyne
@JGabriel:
Illuminati.
opie jeanne
Upper right-hand corner on the poster is The Discworld. Yay!
gwangung
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: Ahem. Salem Hypothesis.
Long history behind it from talk.origins.
Dennis G.
@ODB: yep
eemom
@Capt. Seaweed:
damn, and you were doing so nicely with your first witty riposte which made me giggle.
And pssst…..a word to the wise, since you’re new around here: the aptly named dumbass has nothing better to do with his life than be my personal troll. How pathetic is that? You tell me.
Ellyn
Thanks for the tip. I’m ordering the Flat Earth one to wear when I’m registering voters. I like the hunt down homeless people one, too, but it’s a little too cruel to wear.
mdblanche
I have one of those shirts! Second row, second from the right.
Capt. Seaweed
@eemom:
No offence intended. I haven’t completely figured out who hates whom on this blog yet, or who to trust or who might lead me to ruin. I’m not the hating type but it seems to me this blog has it’s fair share.
I do not stalk. I don’t write well enough to troll. I’m not insecure enough or angry enough to Spatulaize. I don’t have an opinion on every. single. frickin. post like so many here do. I’m just here for the beer.
Yutsano
@Capt. Seaweed:
I think I love you.
Violet
@opie jeanne: I’m getting that one as a gift for a Pratchett fan.
Violet
@Yutsano:
So what am I so afraid of?
The prophet Nostradumbass
@eemom: It seems that half the people here are your “personal troll”. Who’d you crib that from, was it Derf, or Spatula?
the Conster
@Santiago:
Also too, Libyan terrorists suspected in the consulate attack detained in Turkey.
Now we know why O was distracted. Debate? What debate? I was rounding up terrorists, bitchez!
Yutsano
@Violet: Gay marriage? It got the thumbs up in your fair burgh.
Violet
@Yutsano: I’m not in Austin, but I hadn’t heard that, so good for Austin!
It’s a Partridge Family song lyric. Maybe it is talking about gay marriage, since the next line is:
Hmmm…
Violet
@the Conster: Obama was taking out terrorists. Romney was taking out Big Bird.
Yutsano
@Violet: I thought you was. Mea culpa. I might reconsider doing IRS type things there now…
Jewish Steel
Deep thought of the night.
My feeling is that in many important respects, our dog friends are more like us than different. Except in this; were I to slip a fish skin into your dinner, it probably would not make me your hero.
Violet
@Yutsano: Because I’m not there? Heh. Austin’s a fun city. Texas is a lot more blue in the larger cities than the image it has in other parts of the country. I mean, Houston has a lesbian mayor–that doesn’t fit the stereotype of Texas.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Violet:
Well done!
Yutsano
@Violet: I’m…gonna shut up now. :)
(Not because I’m slinking away. I’m driving in the morning and have to get to bed. And that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!)
eemom
@The prophet Nostradumbass:
No, actually, it’s pretty much just you and “xian” on a regular basis….plus one or two obscurities who crawl out of the woodwork occasionally to cover third place.
So you see, the question remains as to why you’ve got nothing better to do with your life. But that’s between you and you.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@eemom: I take a jab at you about once every two weeks or so, if that, and you freak out every single time. The percentage of my comments that refer to you, even indirectly, has to be under 1%, but here you are again, whining about it. Get a grip, you silly person.
Another Halocene Human
@amk: So what you’re saying is that you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Amir Khalid
@Violet:
I recognize that classic too. Oh, that brings back memories of “rock legend” pop wannabe David Cassidy and his kid brother Keith (who was a Hardy Boy on TV).
AlienRadio
Yay Time Cube Tshirt.
Tyro
And research scientists are not a special species. Most of them come from medical or engineering background.
That’s true. The people with an engineering background content with making good money went straight into an engineering job, and the ones who had a more inquisitive and research-oriented nature went to get PhDs and became research scientists. And politically, the engineering rank and file lean conservative and the engineering professors lean liberal.
This is true about creationists– creationists claiming to be “scientists” are almost invariably engineers.