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[crazysheep]

It has started.

The TonyxKevin slashfic, that is.

Spoiler: How much do you value your sanity? (click to show/hide)

[alexandertnt]

I really don't like how people use the term 'skeptic' when they mean denier

Its done to make people sound more "sciencey" and smart (along with the true, but irrelevant statements on science), but there is a fine line between skepticism and denial...

...Acutally there isn't. One is actually open to evidence that goes against what they believe, and the other puts their fingers in their ears and goes "LALALALALALALALALALALALA". I wish more people would understand that skepticism does not mean declaring everything to be false.

[Edmus]

It has started.

The TonyxKevin slashfic, that is.

Spoiler: How much do you value your sanity? (click to show/hide)

Hahaha!
Dear lord.

[Jimmy]

Anyway, who did you roll with Jimmykins?

http://pirateparty.org.au/

Too bad there's not a Ninja Party too. Then we could hold an election and settle the age old debate once and for all.

Anyway, I like their 16 point manifesto:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• The Pirate Party will prevent dragnet, warrantless monitoring or retention of Internet data.
• The Pirate Party will ensure that individuals have a legally protected right to control data collection on devices they own.
• The Pirate Party will oppose any mandatory censorship or Internet filtering infrastructure.
• The Pirate Party will enact additional protections for individual privacy rights.
• The Pirate Party will introduce tighter controls and accountability measures covering the use of visual surveillance.
• The Pirate Party will strengthen shield laws for journalists.
• The Pirate Party will ensure that there are no blanket exemptions from the Freedom of Information Act for any Government agency.
• The Pirate Party will push for negotiations to begin on an international treaty for a free and open Internet.
• The Pirate Party will ensure that any data that is collected about you will have limited retention time, strictly defined purpose and limited access.
• The Pirate Party will ensure that you can always find out what data is being collected about you and will not allow that data to be sent overseas without your consent.
• The Pirate Party will protect whistleblowers who expose government corruption and the abuse of your rights.
• The Pirate Party will restore the role of Human Rights Commissioner with a mandate to focus on civil liberties and freedom of speech, expression and assembly.
• The Pirate Party will legislate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into law.
• The Pirate Party will offer a referendum for a bill of rights focused on individual liberties including a right to privacy, free speech and freedom of assembly.
• The Pirate Party will ensure that government agencies and private organisations are obliged to report data breaches.
• The Pirate Party will remove body scanners from Australian airports.

http://getawarrant.org.au/

Certainly not a party I'd want deciding the national budget, but there's plenty on that list I support.

[Darvi]

There are ninja parties, but you don't know about them because shadow government.

[Max White]

Ain't no party like a pirate party!
They do have pretty good policy, but I prefer the zombie party myself. Their stance on more education funding to produce juicer brains appeals to me.

[Darvi]

And then the Zombie Robot Ninja Pirate Party was created.

[crazysheep]

Speaking of minor parties, who'd be interested in founding an Australian Jedi Council?

[DG]

Probably not a good idea unless you want to be associated with the military Jedi Council sex ring.

[crazysheep]

Probably not a good idea unless you want to be associated with the military Jedi Council sex ring.

dammit military, ruining my political aspirations :/

[Osmosis Jones]

Speaking of science...

A man-made climate change sceptic has put his hand up for Science Minister because PM Abbott's first choice looks like she's going to lose her seat to an independent.

"In the climate area there is appeal to authority and appeal to consensus, neither of which is scientific at all," Dr Jensen told Fairfax Media on Thursday. "Scientific reality doesn't give a damn who said it and it doesn't give a damn how many say it."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/climate-sceptic-mp-dennis-jensen-wants-to-be-science-minister-20130912-2tltt.html#ixzz2eeVsfhjY

I used to live in his electorate. Yes, the man is a complete and utter berk. Furthermore, he's a fucking materials scientist. I'm a materials scientist too, and I can tell you that our work does not give us any particular insights into climate change... certainly not enough to overthrow experts in the field.

From a purely disciplinary thing, I might assume that because of his background in Mat. Sci. which, particularly when he would have been doing it, relies heavily on actual, active experiments, where you are determing all variables etc. (something that can't really be done in climate science; passive experiments, certainly, but you won't ever be able to drop a hurricane in the Mediterranean just to see what it does) he has some distrust over the results. Fine. However, if you're gonna put your hand up for a senior science position, at least educate yourself on the bloody science before you open your fat mouth.

How can he not be aware of the sheer depth of highly sophisticated modelling, which has provided extremely accurate predictions, in the field? Hell, the basic accounting that even with conservative estimates show that humanity has significantly changed the planet's atmosphere? Not to mention as a scientist, he has to know that while people might fudge a graph slightly or publish only their prettiest pics, you're not going to be able to publish something that is outright wrong in a popular field? The number of people that will jump down your throat at anything they can is ridiculous.

No, I honestly doubt he would express the same opinion if he didn't have a political stake in it.

Also, fuck anyone that lends Monckton more credence than that of a babbling lunatic, let alone experts in their field. The man is a stain on humanity's underpants.

/rant.

[Max White]

Oh it gets better. So much better. Better than you would ever imagine.
So Abbott has public named his ministry... And there is no science minister. We just aren't going to have one. Nobody to fight for research grant money, nobody to object when Abbott wants to sell CSIRO. Nobody to understand how those silly gasses work. Nope, nothing.

I'm totally not even enraged at the moment. Not even a little.

[alexandertnt]

So Abbott has public named his ministry... And there is no science minister. We just aren't going to have one.

Pfft, science. Whats it been good for? It just gets in the way of Abbott's brilliant policies (Confirmed to be brilliant by scientists Abbott).


Ah crap.

[Max White]

PDF copy of the list of ministers.
Notably absent also include Youth Ministry (Because young people can't vote) and Workplace Relations Ministry (Take THAT unions!)

[alexandertnt]

Notably absent also include Youth Ministry (Because young people dont vote Liberal)

FTFY.

Also there is no Workplace Relations Ministry because workplace relations will now probably consist mostly of "Work harder, damnit!".