Empirical Study: Indoctrinated US Climate Activist Kids can be Used to Influence their Conservative Parents | Watts Up With That?

Empirical Study: Indoctrinated US Climate Activist Kids can be Used to Influence their Conservative Parents | Watts Up With That?
Guest essay by Eric Worrall

According to the abstract this propaganda technique, indoctrinating children with educational material deliberately designed to help them influence parents, is particularly effective on Conservative men when the influencer is their daughter.

Children can foster climate change concern among their parents

Published: 06 May 2019--...The collective action that is required to mitigate and adapt to climate change is extremely difficult to achieve, largely due to socio-ideological biases that perpetuate polarization over climate change. Because climate change perceptions in children seem less susceptible to the influence of worldview or political context, it may be possible for them to inspire adults towards higher levels of climate concern, and in turn, collective action...The effects were strongest among male parents and conservative parents, who, consistent with previous research, displayed the lowest levels of climate concern before the intervention. Daughters appeared to be especially effective in influencing parents. Our results suggest that intergenerational learning may overcome barriers to building climate concern.

Read more (paywalled): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0463-3

Sadly the study is paywalled, so we don’t know who in North Carolina authorised this experiment, and whether parents gave full informed consent before their children were used by greens as social engineering guinea pigs."

New Jersey Politician Wants To Ban All Bags—Paper or Plastic – Reason.com

New Jersey Politician Wants To Ban All Bags—Paper or Plastic – Reason.com:
"In August 2018, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that would have imposed a five-cent fee on both paper and plastic carryout bags, arguing that the legislation did not do enough to protect the Garden State's famed natural beauty.
"Single-use carryout bags—particularly plastic bags—represent a significant source of the litter that clutters our communities and mars New Jersey's beautiful shoreline and parks," wrote Murphy in his veto statement.
"Instituting a five-cent fee on single-use bags that only applies to certain retailers does not go far enough."...
Read all.

Arizona’s Department Of Child Safety Has A Pattern Of Sending SWAT Teams For ‘Medical Kidnapping’ | The Daily Caller

Arizona’s Department Of Child Safety Has A Pattern Of Sending SWAT Teams For ‘Medical Kidnapping’ | The Daily Caller:

Medical kidnapping is the phenomenon of the state taking children away from their parents and putting them into foster care, “simply because the parents did not agree with a doctor regarding their prescribed medical treatment for the family,” according to the book, “Medical Kidnapping: A Threat to Every American Today.”
Members of the group Arizona DCS Oversight Group (ADOG), a watchdog of Arizona’s DCS, say the SWAT team raid is one of many in which Arizona DCS “legally kidnaps,” or takes children for no good reason.
Worse yet, federal funding streams may be motivating these child renditions.

Very worthy read-----The strange greatness of Donald Trump | TheHill

The strange greatness of Donald Trump | TheHill
"...Moving from the defensive to the positive side of the balance sheet, despite all of the attacks and resistance, Trump has accomplished more in two years than his four immediate predecessors accomplished in four to eight years.

• The economy is in the best shape in modern history. 
• New and better trade agreements have been developed with the major economies. 
• Our defense is much stronger, including a stronger and better funded NATO. 
• Our principal adversaries — Russia, China, Iran, North Korea — are more off-balance than they have been in decades. Each of them is tough and ruthless, but they see in Trump someone who understands them and is equally tough in defending his country. 
• And, with the collapse of ObamaCare, Trump has a huge opportunity to advance an effective, market-based approach to American health care coverage and cost control to help everyone.

Belying the hysteria of the left, all Americans are moving forward; these are not “sad times,” and there is no “crisis.”...
Read all.

'Deep fake' videos that can make anyone say anything worry U.S. intelligence agencies - Story | WNYW

'Deep fake' videos that can make anyone say anything worry U.S. intelligence agencies - Story | WNYW
"NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A video of a seemingly real news anchor, reading a patently false script saying things like the "subways always run on time" and "New York City pizza is definitely not as good as Chicago" giving es a whole new meaning to the term fake news.
But that fake news anchor is a real example of a fascinating new technology with frightening potential uses.
I was stunned watching the Frankenstein mix of Steve Lacy's voice coming out of what looks like my mouth.
"That's how well the algorithm knows your face," Professor Siwei Lyu told me.
The video is what is known as a deep fake: a computer-generated clip using an algorithm that learned my face so well that is can recreate it with remarkable accuracy..."

Read all.

Lunch video-----Victor Davis Hanson on “The Case For Trump”

Noon-toon

Trump’s Popularity Surges As Democrats Get Even Crazier | The Daily Caller

Trump’s Popularity Surges As Democrats Get Even Crazier | The Daily Caller:

On today’s show, we get into President Donald Trump’s latest approval ratings, which show his popularity surging while “Sniffy” Joe Biden takes a commanding lead among Democrats. But Biden’s biggest obstacle has always been himself, and he did what he’s known for: sticking his foot in his mouth.

A Nod to Violence: CNN Further Normalizes Leftist Antifa Terrorists

A Nod to Violence: CNN Further Normalizes Leftist Antifa Terrorists
"It’s been over three years since the FBI and the Department of Homeland security referred to the radical leftist Antifa movement's behavior as that of a “domestic terrorist” organization, but that hasn’t stopped CNN from promoting their activities.
Just days after CNN host Chris Cuomo argued that Antifa was a “true” and “good cause,” social justice warrior Kamau Bell on Sunday’s United Shades of America offered a national platform to an Antifa member while offering no pushback against their violent tactics.
Completely ignoring the terrorist designation, Bell sat down with a young woman who only went by the name Ariel.
As they began their discussion, Bell allowed her to twist and lie about what Antifa actually was:
BELL: So, how would you describe yourself in relation to Antifa.
ARIEL: The way I describe Antifa is more like this. Like, do you approve of fascism?
BELL: No.
ARIEL: Then, you can consider yourself Antifa if you chose to. So, if you're opposed to fascism –
BELL: Yeah, I am.
ARIEL: -- then you are Antifa because it’s anti-fascism.
“Do you think people deserve love? Antifa,” she exclaimed..."
Read all.

New “exascale” supercomputer can run incorrect climate models even faster | Watts Up With That?

New “exascale” supercomputer can run incorrect climate models even faster | Watts Up With That?:
"...By solving calculations up to 50 times faster than today’s top supercomputers —exceeding a quintillion, or 1018, calculations per second—Frontier will enable researchers to deliver breakthroughs in scientific discovery, energy assurance, economic competitiveness, and national security. 
As a second-generation AI system..."
Read all.

#1 This day 1983-----Michael Jackson - Beat It (Official Video)

Detroit's LED Streetlights Are Going Dark After a Few Years - Slashdot

Detroit's LED Streetlights Are Going Dark After a Few Years - Slashdot
"Detroit's Public Lighting Authority has filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the manufacturer of nearly a third of the city's 65,000 streetlights, after it found that upward of 20,000 LED lights are "prematurely dimming and burning out" and putting the city's revitalization progress "in jeopardy." 
The city estimates a fix would cost millions. Detroit News reports:
...the lighting authority that it had experienced "a higher number of reports of failures" in models dimming city streets, primarily in west side neighborhoods and a number of Detroit's major thoroughfares. 

...in recent weeks, Leotek officials have gone silent, according to the lighting authority. A representative for Leotek did not respond Monday to requests for comment. The lighting project has been held up by Mayor Mike Duggan and others as an early success in the city's effort to restore basic services. Before the three-year, $185 million overhaul, about 40% of Detroit's 88,000 streetlights didn't work. The LED lights provided by Leotek were anticipated to last for at least a decade."Read all.

Ah, the good old days.

Wrong, Rep. Omar: Socialism, Not America, Caused Venezuela’s Suffering | The Heritage Foundation

Wrong, Rep. Omar: Socialism, Not America, Caused Venezuela’s Suffering | The Heritage Foundation:

Rep. Ilhan Omar blames the US for Venezuela’s penury. Go figure. She of all people should know how Marxism can trash a country.
Her birth country, Somalia, was run by the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party, created by the strongman Siad Barre under Soviet guidance in the 1970s, until it devolved into chaos in the late 1980s.
Barre fled in 1991 and left behind a failed state. By 1992, that instability had forced Omar and her family to flee to this country. They secured asylum in 1995.

How much more racist will CNN be?

How much more racist will CNN be?:
"Just when you thought CNNcouldn't get any lower, it plummets to rock bottom, asking:

Read on.

AM Fruitcake

History for May 9

History for May 9 - On-This-Day.com
John Brown 1800, Henry J. Kaiser 1882, Glenda Jackson 1936 - Actress


James L. Brooks 1940 - Director, Billy Joel 1949 - Musician, Prince Fielder 1984 - Baseball player


1429 - Joan of Arc defeated the besieging English at Orleans.


1754 - The first newspaper cartoon in America showed a divided snake "Join or die" in "The Pennsylvania Gazette."

Report Omission Shows Mueller Was A Political Or Professional Hack

Report Omission Shows Mueller Was A Political Or Professional Hack:

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s March “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election” contains a glaring omission: Not once in the 448-page tome does Mueller mention an investigation into whether Russia interfered with the U.S. presidential election by feeding dossier author Christopher Steele misinformation.
But Mueller also did not charge Steele with lying to the FBI, or refer a criminal case against Steele to federal prosecutors, as he did when the special counsel uncovered evidence of criminal misconduct unrelated to the 2016 election. Given Mueller’s conclusion that no one connected to the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to interfere with the election, one of those two scenarios must be true—either Russia fed Steele disinformation or Steele lied to the FBI about his Russian sources.

To a conservative, if Person A and Person B each have $1000, that is fairness.----Fans of Best of the Web Today

Fans of Best of the Web Today--Michael Smith

"To a conservative, if Person A and Person B each have $1000, that is fairness.

To a progressive, if Person A has $1000 and does nothing with it (or spends it) and at the end of the year only has the $1000 (or less) and Person B takes a risk and invests the $1000 and at the end of a year has $1200, somehow Person B is being unfair to Person A and must be punished.

That is, of course, an oversimplification, but it is a pretty good description."

Judicial Watch Seeks Information on Qatari Government’s Funding of Texas A&M, a Public University - Judicial Watch

Judicial Watch Seeks Information on Qatari Government’s Funding of Texas A&M, a Public University - Judicial Watch
"(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a petition to intervene on behalf of its client Zachor Legal Institute under the Texas Public Information Act, seeking information about potential influence by the Qatar government’s funding of certain Texas A&M University programs...
...Zachor Legal Institute is a U.S.-based advocacy group dedicated to combatting the spread of anti-Semitism.
...Qatar controversially has aligned itself with Islamic terrorists and extremists which has placed it at odds with the United States, Israel and other U.S. allies in the Middle East..."
Read all.

Feminists, Conservatives Join Forces to Oppose 'Equality Act' | RealClearPolitics

Feminists, Conservatives Join Forces to Oppose 'Equality Act' | RealClearPolitics:

The Equality Act just passed the House Judiciary Committee last week, and it threatens to erase protections for women — protections that benefit women and society as a whole. Legislative and policy “reforms” proposed in this dangerous bill will lead to blatant violations of our safety, privacy, and dignity. Under this bill, men and boys will take away women’s small business grants and hard-won spots on sports teams; they will be allowed to live in women’s domestic violence shelters and use our locker rooms. And united as women, we are just not going to stand for it.
If you doubt the seriousness (and absurdity) of this situation, read what has already happened in Washington state, as just one example.

Why Good Books Are Better When You Talk About Them | Intellectual Takeout

Why Good Books Are Better When You Talk About Them | Intellectual Takeout
"What do you do when you finish reading with children, say, at bedtime?
Perhaps what many parents do — just close the book, kiss your child goodnight, ruffle their hair, and turn out the light. 
...But as valuable as these read-aloud together times are, we think they very often contain a missed opportunity.
...If you just close the book, you and your children (or students, if you’re a teacher) will have missed a chance to share your thoughts and questions about the challenges the characters have faced, the choices they’ve made, the good and bad consequences of those choices, the virtues and vices displayed — and, most important, how all of that might apply to your own character and lives.
...Consider what you might want to talk about if you stopped to think about and discuss this episode with children....
Read on.