Pharyngula: And the crowd goes wild!

#1

Posted by: Lago | September 4, 2008 12:31 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

#2

Posted by: Qwerty | September 4, 2008 12:35 PM

I thought the one sign said "trash creationism," but I was wrong. It says, "Teach creationism."

Leave it to a cartoonist to sum up the whole thing succinctly and honestly.

#3

Posted by: Matt Heath | September 4, 2008 12:35 PM

If this knocks Orac's autism thing off the "most active" list will they rename this website "PalinBlogs"?

#4

Posted by: Glen Davidson | September 4, 2008 12:35 PM

On TV someone commented that Palin was an opponent of global warming. Which sounded good to me, until I realized they meant that she denied it.

Really, even Bush accepts that anthropogenic global warming is happening, he just doesn't want to do anything about it.

Glen D
http://behefails.wordpress.com

#5

Posted by: thepetey | September 4, 2008 12:36 PM

GOOOOOO!!!!!
THEOCRACY!!!!!!

#6

Posted by: Holbach | September 4, 2008 12:36 PM

Ha!, I posted the reference to this cartoon @ 171 on the "this is how we will lose" post. Damn, it says it all! The more I look at that cartoon and all that it entails and portends, the more worry I get. Let's get together and keep that moron out of the white house!

#7

Posted by: Louis | September 4, 2008 12:36 PM

Lago, you lot tried that once before and look how that turned out. You started with Thomas Jefferson and ended up with George Bush. Any system, no matter how perfect, tends toward shitty over time.

I say go for the Etch-a-Sketch approach. Pick up your government, shake vigorously until it goes blank, start again.

That's what democracy is for.

Louis

#8

Posted by: T_U_T | September 4, 2008 12:40 PM

Lago yes, you can, come to europe, but WITHOUT those monsters

#9

Posted by: Paul Burnett | September 4, 2008 12:43 PM

"I say go for the Etch-a-Sketch approach. Pick up your government, shake vigorously until it goes blank, start again." - Louis, #7

I worked in downtown DC in the 1970s/1980s. My personal observation as a Federal employee was that the newly elected political appointees knew only that the previous gang of idiots had totally messed things up, and all the new folks had to do was turn everything upside down, scrape the crap off and fix everything.

Four years later the other party would win and exactly the same thing would happen all over again. I saw that cycle repeated a few times.

Since then I have had equal respect for both political parties. ( 0 = 0 )

#10

Posted by: Tony Sidaway | September 4, 2008 12:44 PM

McCain and Palin don't have to convince the RNC, they have to convince the swing voters in the key states. How are they going to do that with a backwoods agenda?

#11

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 12:44 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

You could restart this one: http://www.oceania.org/

If you don't fancy a life at sea (sort of), there's always the LaGrange points. Always been partial to L5 myself. L4 just seems so low rent.

#12

Posted by: Matt Heath | September 4, 2008 12:46 PM

Lago: Thing is people try it from time to time but there are always already people living wherever they go and it rarely ends well.

This is why it's it's time to terraform Mars.

#13

Posted by: skyotter | September 4, 2008 12:50 PM

i'll come out and admit it. i like Sarah ... as our Governor. so i'd like to keep her here, please

uh ... pretty please?

#14

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 12:51 PM

This is why it's it's time to terraform Mars.

The Moon wouldn't be *that* much harder. It's closer to Earth, and we could keep an eye on the Earther loons. The observation scopes would be continuously slaved to the targeting computers for the interplanetary missile banks. Should the theocratic groundhuggers get any uppity ideas, we'd need to be ready with speedy discouragement.

#15

Posted by: alex | September 4, 2008 12:52 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

what, and leave america for the lunatics?

#16

Posted by: ThirdMonkey | September 4, 2008 12:55 PM

The last couple of days I have had to actively suppress panic attacks at the thought of the Republicans winning this election.
Not only would it be disastrous for the country, but would prove definitively that democracy has failed and that human beings are incapable of self-governance.

As for just leaving this world to the loons...
Why not? If we get all non-crazy scientists, engineers and like minded business people (we will need money after all) how long would it really take to develop the tech to extend our lives (perhaps even get rid of this insistance on remaining organic) and leave this damn, doomed world to the religiots?

#17

Posted by: designsoda | September 4, 2008 12:56 PM

Frightening stuff.

Who is the cartoonist? I can't quite read the small letters under the cartoon.

#18

Posted by: Richard Harris | September 4, 2008 12:58 PM

Her voice has an unpleasant tone to it, a tone that suggests she's got her head up her ... nahhh, she'd be gurgling then. But she does talk out of her ass. What a feckin' nutjob of an edjit she is.

#19

Posted by: Revulo | September 4, 2008 1:01 PM

"Can't we just leave and make our own nation?"

I kind of like that Oceania idea...or something.
*sighs wistfully and checks her country on NationStates*

#20

Posted by: factlike | September 4, 2008 1:04 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

Who knew that Sarah Palin's husband read Pharyngula?

#21

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:06 PM

Why not? If we get all non-crazy scientists, engineers and like minded business people (we will need money after all) how long would it really take to develop the tech to extend our lives (perhaps even get rid of this insistance on remaining organic) and leave this damn, doomed world to the religiots?

We'd need to convince some serious billionaires, like the guy in the movie Contact.

First and foremost you need to pursue new propulsion technology. Getting out of the Earth's gravity well is the big ticket item on any space effort. It's direct war against the laws of physics. Everything else is an engineering problem. The $cost per kilogram is the main parameter to attack, and not just to LEO, but something that can get people, parts and cargo to a L4 or L5.

You also need a launch system that can't be easily opposed by a government that might decide a space brain drain is not acceptable. That rules out anything like a space elevator because of land requirements and airspace concerns. Something with sails and lasers, perhaps. Mass drivers, maybe?

#22

Posted by: Kobra | September 4, 2008 1:08 PM

Is anyone really surprised by this?

#23

Posted by: Matt Heath | September 4, 2008 1:08 PM

Thread over. factlike wins

#24

Posted by: Neil B | September 4, 2008 1:12 PM

Goody! A political post, now I get to mostly agree with most of you folks instead of arguing fruitlessly about the utter peaks of metaphysical perplexity for a change. OK, here's my take on some dings about Sarah Palin:

Sarah may or may not have been a member of the Alaskan Independence Party (we've heard contradictory things) but her husband surely was, and she approvingly addressed their conventions a few times. They want to have a vote on Alaskan independence, and despise the federal government. Wikipedia: The Alaskan Independence Party quotes founder Joe Vogler as stating "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." (Hah, her "Reverend Wright" I note the irony that Pravda (yes, it's still around!) supports Alaskan independence! Heh, Alaska: American's South Ossetia, or Abkhazia? The latter even sounds similar ... Maybe call the new "nation" Ablaskia? (We could say, it "ablated" off the USA?) Better, maybe the Russians will help defend newly "independent" Alaska? Maybe a case of mixed loyalties would come up for the new VP or President as the case may be ...

But even worse and weirder is Palin's offbeat church's attitude towards Jews. It is ironically the honestly logical implication of the idea that only believers in Christ's divinity are "saved" and beloved by God, so her pastor says God punishes Jews with terror attacks etc. for not believing in Jesus. Brad DeLong (check him out at http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/09/i-am-confused.html) wonders of the irony of that, after McCain first wanting Joe Lieberman for a cute bi-partisan ticket (and someone told him "No" - who had that veto power?)

#25

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:12 PM

I kind of like that Oceania idea...or something.

Well, that was the problem the originators of the project ran into: there is no something. Pretty much every square foot of land is spoken for by someone (and in some cases, more than one someone). The ocean is all that is left. I think they picked an area of Costa Rica that hasn't seen a major storm in recorded history. It's entirely workable... for a price. The idea was to turn it into a Libertarian paradise and create an attractive haven for big corporate players. They could put their home offices there.

I was thinking if someone tried to revive the concept, they could go more in the direction of a data haven, a la Neal Stephenson. A country whose entire economy is based on information and the trading and protection of data.

#26

Posted by: tsg | September 4, 2008 1:14 PM

I worked in downtown DC in the 1970s/1980s. My personal observation as a Federal employee was that the newly elected political appointees knew only that the previous gang of idiots had totally messed things up, and all the new folks had to do was turn everything upside down, scrape the crap off and fix everything.
Four years later the other party would win and exactly the same thing would happen all over again. I saw that cycle repeated a few times.

Since then I have had equal respect for both political parties. ( 0 = 0 )

"Change" is when the American public votes in the group of people they voted out the last time they wanted change.

#27

Posted by: Calladus | September 4, 2008 1:17 PM

From her speech, I think Sarah Palin would do quite well in a James Bond movie.

She'd be the rich evil super villain in her "rustic" mansion on some beautiful mountainside in Alaska. Her mansion would have several miles of concrete corridors under it, filled with her doomsday machine and henchmen.

She'd capture Bond, and hold him helpless as she throws the switch that activates her doomsday machine.

"Do you actually expect me to VOTE for you Sarah?"
"No," she answers coldly. "I expect you to DIE, Mr. Bond."

#28

Posted by: Dlux | September 4, 2008 1:19 PM

#21 "You also need a launch system that can't be easily opposed by a government that might decide a space brain drain is not acceptable. That rules out anything like a space elevator because of land requirements and airspace concerns. Something with sails and lasers, perhaps. Mass drivers, maybe?"

Mass Drivers?!? You want to kill everyone before even getting started?

(I'm a veteran Boston driver from the Big Dig era. Just remember that f=ma and react accordingly.)

#29

Posted by: Rahne | September 4, 2008 1:23 PM

YAY STUPID REPUBLICANS. Y'ALL GONNA GET A LESSON IN EVOLUTION BY GOING EXTINCT IF YOU KEEP THIS UP.

#30

Posted by: Holbach | September 4, 2008 1:24 PM

designsoda @ 17

The cartoonist is TONY AUTH. He is well known for topical comments that appeal to we rationalists.

#31

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:26 PM

Mass Drivers?!? You want to kill everyone before even getting started?

Well these wouldn't be weaponized mass drivers intended to destroy a target. :) A properly designed driver should be able to dial in any g-force you want. Mass drivers for manned launches are an old concept. A dual system might work. One to orbit then another to L4/5.

I'm a veteran Boston driver from the Big Dig era.

I'll have to fly into Logan next year for work. Are there still gigantic slabs of death falling off the roof of the tunnels?

#32

Posted by: Qwerty | September 4, 2008 1:28 PM

Neil B @ #24 -

Interesting take. Maybe the Russians will offer all Alaskans Russian passports as well.

The Russians can take Alaska; we can then make Puerto Rico a state and we won't have to change our flag!

#33

Posted by: Eric | September 4, 2008 1:30 PM

I haven't heard about any book-burning in the news. What did she try and burn? I want to add it to my collection.

#34

Posted by: Epinephrine | September 4, 2008 1:31 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

Come up to Canada! Serves two purposes - we get an influx of rational thinkers, practically ensuring that we don't follow the theocracy trend, and you get to avoid all the theocracy building down there. And we'll have generations of intelligent rational people, pushing the boundaries of science while enjoying good beer and poutine!

#35

Posted by: Eric | September 4, 2008 1:33 PM

Oops, correction - for #33 replace "burn" with "ban."

#36

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:35 PM

From her speech, I think Sarah Palin would do quite well in a James Bond movie.

She'd have to change her name to something more suggestive. Don't worry, I won't go there. Actually, I fancy her as more of an anime villianess for some reason. When she gains control after McCain's heart shuts down in despair, she reveals her Evangelical superweapon that shoots Hello Kitty Baby Jesus mind control bombs at all the filthy infidels.

But she will ultimately be undone by a team consisting of a teenage boy with spiky hair, a girl magician with attitude, and a cute robot with an annoying voice.

#37

Posted by: Kobra | September 4, 2008 1:36 PM

#35:

I would also recommend changing "try and" to "try to."

#38

Posted by: Patricia | September 4, 2008 1:37 PM

Wa-Hoo!!! I was right about that twit Cindy McEvil McShame in the MUSTARD dress. Huffington Post had the fashion 'experts' over at Vanity Fair price Laura Bush's out fit, and Cindy's - fasten your seat belts folk... over $300,000! Oh yeah, that's gonna win the female voters over. HA!
My favorite line from Palins feel good fest - What's the difference between a hockey mom and a Pitbull? Lipstick!
She's just blinding us with brilliance.

#39

Posted by: Troy | September 4, 2008 1:37 PM

Colonizing a continental shelf or antarctica would be roughly a million times more doable than Mars.

The problem with "let's have a revolution" here in the states is that we no longer have the enlightened politicians of the 18th century, for historical reasons that I need not get into here.

Instead, this country is ~20% Bircher, ~15% Focus on the Family, 30% Rush/Savage-listening, 15% Knights of Columbus. . . (there is significant overlaps here but in all there's a 40% powerbloc). Factor in the 30% apathetic, that leaves the liberal caucus outgunned 2:1.

#40

Posted by: tony | September 4, 2008 1:39 PM

Launch System?

Get an island somewhere near the equator: four energy sources: geothermal, wind, wave & solar.

Use that to charge your storage cells.

Use stored energy to power gigawatt lasers for 'steam rockets'.

The lasers and the energy storage are the two stumbling blocks - nothing that R&D can't solve.

The propulsion material is freely available.

Without the lasers & steam rockets - aerospikes for hi-mach launch vehicles - get a very fast aircraft high enough - then launch from there into LEO (with a hydrogen fueled rocket - again - the propulsion material is all around you on the island, and you leverage the same primary energy resources to generate). This is *almost* the SS1 & SS2 strategy.

It's possible. If it happens soon enough I want four seats please (myself & my family).

#41

Posted by: ElevatedSteve | September 4, 2008 1:40 PM

Why not? If we get all non-crazy scientists, engineers and like minded business people (we will need money after all) how long would it really take to develop the tech to extend our lives (perhaps even get rid of this insistance on remaining organic) and leave this damn, doomed world to the religiots?

Let's just remember to take the phone sanitizers with us :)

#42

Posted by: Ouchimoo | September 4, 2008 1:42 PM

Can we say THIRD WORLD COUNTRY?

#43

Posted by: Quiet Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:43 PM

I was right about that twit Cindy McEvil McShame in the MUSTARD dress.

In the drawing room with the pistol?

Huffington Post had the fashion 'experts' over at Vanity Fair price Laura Bush's out fit, and Cindy's - fasten your seat belts folk... over $300,000!

For that much I expect it have a built in jet pack, body armor and a multitude of retractable edged weapons.

What's the difference between a hockey mom and a Pitbull? Lipstick!

Pitbulls wear lipstick? Huh.

#44

Posted by: JSW | September 4, 2008 1:45 PM

Something with sails and lasers, perhaps.

Space sharks!

#45

Posted by: ThirdMonkey | September 4, 2008 1:46 PM

Antarctica! That's an awesome idea!
As the religiot, global warming denier nut-jobs continue to pollute, Antarctica will eventually become down-right tropical.

#46

Posted by: Thepetey | September 4, 2008 1:49 PM

why not send the neocons to the moon so they can be closer to their sky faerie???

#47

Posted by: Calladus | September 4, 2008 1:50 PM

She'd have to change her name to something more suggestive.

Naw - she's the villain. She doesn't get the suggestive name. Besides, she's the wrong age bracket.

The suggestive name would go to her gorgeous 20-something niece, who seems sympathetic with Bond at first, but later betrays him and is killed through her own greed.

McCain would be cast as the slightly demented henchman who would do anything for his boss. He'd be biomechanically enhanced, and would die when Bond pulls the plug on him.

This thing almost writes itself. Best of all, we could still recast the whole thing in Anime and make a second box-office killing.

#48

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:51 PM

Space sharks!

No, that's what we use to keep the Evangelical Earth Empire in line. Well, when they aren't butting heads with the Islamosphere, Neo-Scientologists and the Popetron (the renegade AI that took over the Vatican ,and enslaved all the Catholics with genetically engineered brain slugs.)

#49

Posted by: Don Smith, FCD | September 4, 2008 1:51 PM

Eric@33,
I heard that she, as mayor, tried to get the city librarian fired for not removing some books from the library shelves. The townspeople revolted and that didn't happen. I don't know what books she was trying to ban, though.

#50

Posted by: Matt Heath | September 4, 2008 1:54 PM

I'm pretty sure every bit of Antarctica is claimed as some country or others sovereign territory.

Although winning a war with Norway may be easier than colonizing Mars.

#51

Posted by: khops | September 4, 2008 1:56 PM

Epinephrine @ 34

*whines* but Canada is cooold :( Although if we abandon the US to the fundies it will probably only them 5 years before they turn Canada tropical.

Sign me up!

#52

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 1:56 PM

Antarctica! That's an awesome idea!

You'd have to deal with the ancient alien city of madness. It calls out. It calls.

What? You thought H.P. Lovecraft wrote fiction? Pfft!

Oh, and the penguins. They are rabidly territorial and can shoot poisonous spines from their soft, fluffy bellies. Yeah, they didn't show *that* in March Of The Penguins which was a total snow job and PR propaganda for birds.

Heh heh... snow job...

#53

Posted by: Patricia | September 4, 2008 1:56 PM

By gawd Quiet D. thats a good question. Pitbulls in Oregon go Revlon free. How about it someone from Alaska? Do your Pitbulls and female Sasquatches wear lipstick? Quivering with excitment mind's want to know!

#54

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 2:02 PM

Although winning a war with Norway may be easier than colonizing Mars.

You need something obscure enough that McCain can't find it on a map and declare war on it.

#55

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 2:05 PM

Do your Pitbulls and female Sasquatches wear lipstick?

No, just hoodies.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/img/candy_pink.gif

#56

Posted by: Calladus | September 4, 2008 2:06 PM

Colonizing a continental shelf or Antarctica would be roughly a million times more doable than Mars.

I dunno why we are talking about leaving. There was a lot of talk about a Christian secession a while back. To South Carolina, I believe.

Instead of leaving, I think we should support their secession. Help them build a wall for "protection" too. And set up some sort of foreign policy that allows immigration between us and them, so that the non-religious can leave, and the religious can enter.

I figure that in less than a decade of religion-based medicine, their nation will succumb to plague.

But not to South Carolina. I like the countryside there. Maybe South Dakota is available?

#57

Posted by: Patricia | September 4, 2008 2:15 PM

I vote for Iceland. Last year I the 'heard the rumor' that Iceland officially declared it's self to be a pagan nation. Norway *sob* still has a catholic monarchy. And if the Norway festival in Junction City is any example of the folk there, it's godsoaked lunatics too. At least the pagans don't come around bashing on your door to announce you've been sentenced to hellfire.

#58

Posted by: Brownian, OM | September 4, 2008 2:16 PM

You need something obscure enough that McCain can't find it on a map and declare war on it.

Epinephrine already covered that one, QD. It's called Canada.

Having said that, have any of you considered the Earth floor of the space elevator could be located on Oceania? No land disputes to worry about, and if you outfit everyone with water wings you'll cut down on fatalities should the cable snap or the Otis guys go on strike or something.

#59

Posted by: Rey Fox | September 4, 2008 2:20 PM

"You need something obscure enough that McCain can't find it on a map and declare war on it."

How about one of his houses?

#60

Posted by: Bostonian | September 4, 2008 2:21 PM

I'd just like to point out, PZ, that you accidentally gave this post the category "Humor." There's nothing funny about this comic at all: it belongs firmly in Politics (and maybe Horror?).

In fact there's not even any exaggerated or ironic caricature happening in that pane: those placards are literal statements of her policy positions. And those line drawings at the bottom are real Republicans.

#61

Posted by: Uncle frogy | September 4, 2008 2:24 PM

Well I did not listen to very much of her speech last night I just could not and not fall into a rage of irrationality.
Just what I expected she is a republican and name calling and wishful thinking, statements that do not match objective reality, since prez Ron they have been talking about some different reality then the one that I live in. It has been and still is perception , belief over reality. They will try to tell a "good story" one that makes them look good regardless of the facts rather like the toy adds we see on Saturday morning TV. The question is will it work again?

As to the idea of starting a new country or even settling a "new planet" to get away from the crazies that worked well when our forbears left their home countries to come here no crazies here. I am not willing to go any where, I am not going quietly, this is my home planet I come out of the processes here, I was born and educated in this country.
Democracy is not a thing or a goal it is the process that "We The People" reject some great authority and decide amongst
ourselves how we shall be governed. If not today then tomorrow or the day after that.
Further if not here if "we" persist in ignoring reality here in the U.S. then we will fall from world power and influence. The center of the movement toward democracy will move somewhere else but make no mistake the ideas set down in our Declaration of Independence though some what specific to a time and place are universal. They address the fact that it is all based on an agreement between all the people involved. We have reached the place where the whole world is now clearly involved together and we will all have to make agreements on how we are to proceed. We are all in this together-!!

#62

Posted by: Matt Heath | September 4, 2008 2:25 PM

Patricia: It's a Lutheran monarchy (I'm not sure what bearing this has on anything, but I'm a compulsive fact-checker)

#63

Posted by: Uncle frogy | September 4, 2008 2:27 PM

Well I did not listen to very much of her speech last night I just could not and not fall into a rage of irrationality.
Just what I expected she is a republican and name calling and wishful thinking, statements that do not match objective reality, since prez Ron they have been talking about some different reality then the one that I live in. It has been and still is perception , belief over reality. They will try to tell a "good story" one that makes them look good regardless of the facts rather like the toy adds we see on Saturday morning TV. The question is will it work again?

As to the idea of starting a new country or even settling a "new planet" to get away from the crazies that worked well when our forbears left their home countries to come here no crazies here. I am not willing to go any where, I am not going quietly, this is my home planet I come out of the processes here, I was born and educated in this country.
Democracy is not a thing or a goal it is the process that "We The People" reject some great authority and decide amongst
ourselves how we shall be governed. If not today then tomorrow or the day after that.
Further if not here if "we" persist in ignoring reality here in the U.S. then we will fall from world power and influence. The center of the movement toward democracy will move somewhere else but make no mistake the ideas set down in our Declaration of Independence though some what specific to a time and place are universal. They address the fact that it is all based on an agreement between all the people involved. We have reached the place where the whole world is now clearly involved together and we will all have to make agreements on how we are to proceed. We are all in this together-!!

#64

Posted by: Bill Dauphin | September 4, 2008 2:27 PM

Calladus:

She'd capture Bond, and hold him helpless as she throws the switch that activates her doomsday machine.
"Do you actually expect me to VOTE for you Sarah?"
"No," she answers coldly. "I expect you to DIE, Mr. Bond."

You do realize the scene you're quoting involved a laser beam creeping slowly toward Bond's crotch, don't you? Let's not be bringing up the sexist stuff again, shall we? [People, I keeed because I loooove!]

Space sharks!

Actually, we can probably only get mutated space bass... but at least they'll be perturbed.

#65

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 2:30 PM

Having said that, have any of you considered the Earth floor of the space elevator could be located on Oceania?

Not really. Oceania floats. A space elevator needs to be grounded in bedrock, which is even harder to reach out at sea. It's definitely a mountain top thing.

#66

Posted by: Longtime Lurker | September 4, 2008 2:32 PM

At least the pagans don't come around bashing on your door to announce you've been sentenced to hellfire.

They may, however, decide to give you the "blood eagle" treatment:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_eagle

Sorry about the Wikipedia link, but it's quicker than poring over a half-dozen sagas!

#67

Posted by: Microzealous | September 4, 2008 2:36 PM

I second the motion by Uncle grogy. We cannot just slink away from these bullies and go to some utopia. Take a deep breath, get angry and determined, and push back. Tell your friends, neighbors and strangers who you are going to vote for. Make a donation to the campaigns, put on bumper stickers and get informed. And remember, the fundies and reactionaries don't really believe what they say - they only want to intimidate. Let's quit the hand-wringing and denial, and stand up loud and proud.

#68

Posted by: ThirdMonkey | September 4, 2008 2:45 PM

Quiet_D "space elevator needs to be grounded in bedrock"

Not so. The planet-side anchor only needs to be more massive than the space-side anchor. Current plans involve a floating anchor platform positioned along the equator. By being mobile it allows some ability to move the tether to avoid space debris.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator

#69

Posted by: drifty driftwood | September 4, 2008 2:48 PM

WHY does EVERYONE keep insisting she reminds them exactly of Diana on the old "V" miniseries from 1983, and that when we're not looking she eats rodents whole and that she has a lizard face beenath her skin!? I wish people would stop pointing the Diana similarities out because that kind of comparison does not help solve anything.
Stop saying she is Diana on the old "V" miniseries!! Enough with the Diana comparisons, people!

#70

Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 4, 2008 3:08 PM

@ThirdMonkey: Er, I'm still not sure I want my *country* to be a space elevator anchor. The question "What could *possibly* go wrong?" occurs to me. :-) Personally, I think laser launch systems hold the most immediate promise.

Besides, Oceania and space were competing solutions.

Is your handle a reference to The Third Man?

#71

Posted by: Ranson | September 4, 2008 3:13 PM

@ #69

More Lydia than Diana, I'd think.

No, I'm not a nerd, why do you ask?

#72

Posted by: bonefish | September 4, 2008 3:14 PM

Leaving for somewhere else is an awfully attractive idea.
It's nice to think about having a rational conversation with a scientist or whatever. (I'm not a scientist unless a historian and writer is considered a scientist.)
Even so, I would feel like a coward if I packed up and took off. My family has been working to get the word on these freaks out. DIL has been talking with her fellow professors. The college-age kids have been working within their widespread social networks to shake people up and spread the word. The high school age kids are doing what they can in the face of a molasses-like lethargy in their school.
I am working all the contacts I can to spread the facts about what these people are and what they are attempting to engineer.
We're doing what we can. I just hope it will be some help.

#73

Posted by: Tulse | September 4, 2008 3:24 PM

The sad thing is that Republicans wouldn't see the comic as objectionable -- they could use it themselves...

#74

Posted by: CJ | September 4, 2008 3:25 PM

There are only two directions we can go this election - backward or forward. With this selection, the Republican party gives us both directions - either back to the Dark Ages or forward to Armageddon.

#75

Posted by: Holbach | September 4, 2008 3:28 PM

Patricia @ 57

Matt Heath @ 62 is correct in Norway having a Lutheran monarchy, and the percentage of the Lutheran religion is listed at currently 85.7%, with the rabid christians at 4.5%, and other/nonreligious listed at 8.0%, and which I am assuming definitely includes atheists. I am cognizant of Norwegian statistics because I have always stated that if I were ever to leave our great country, I would move to New Zealand or Norway, the decision dependent on future events. New Zealand has a 31% nonreligious figure. Norway is a quality Scandinavian country and any thoughts of living there would not be hazardous or regretful. I can say the same would apply to New zealand, in spite of Roy Comfort and recent bullshit hashed here on Pharyngula. Both countries are almost similiar in topography and geography with fjords, lakes, islands, mountains, and just astounding natural beauty. Which to choose when the propitious time for a move arrives?

#76

Posted by: Africa | September 4, 2008 3:32 PM

I find the republican show an inspiration. I live in South Africa, where crime levels are attrocious, corruption is rife and we have an offical unemployment rate of 26% - because the other unemployed 20% dont try to look for work anymore. I regularly feel like I want to emmigrate from South Africa but then when seeing the blatant lies and stupid comments made throughout the campaign (by candidates, media and supporters), I realize that our politicians arent that much worse.....

#77

Posted by: Patricia | September 4, 2008 3:40 PM

Darn! I was wrong.
What country was I thinking of...must be all the twirling. My brain is spun.

#78

Posted by: JerryFLA | September 4, 2008 3:41 PM

I just read that Dobson gave his endorsement to McCain:

"If I went into the polling booth today, I would pull the lever for John McCain," he said. In a new radio broadcast to hundreds of Christian stations that air his show, Dobson calls Palin a "genuine reformer" and "deeply committed Christian."

Perhaps the rumors that McCain traded his VP pick for a few of those 'base' votes are true after all.

#79

Posted by: Skwee | September 4, 2008 3:52 PM

Wait... banning books? That one scares me more than the others. Anyone got a link?

#80

Posted by: Peter Vesuwalla | September 4, 2008 4:04 PM

Well, to be fair, none of the stuff in the cartoon actually came out during the speech. The scariest part for me is the thunderous applause she got when she suggested terrorism suspects don't need to be read their rights.

And boy, did it seem like a lot of Republicans are against the idea of proper arrest procedures. Wasn't this the same crowd that a decade ago were referring to the ATF as "jack-booted thugs,"?

#81

Posted by: Todd | September 4, 2008 4:09 PM

Can't we just leave and make our own nation?

How about we just stay and repair this one until it's the symbol of democracy it once was.

#82

Posted by: Holbach | September 4, 2008 4:15 PM

Skwee @ 79

There doesn't seem to be any concrete evidence for the "Ban Books" banner, and it may be the cartoonists levity to lend seriousness to the obvious slates, but it begs the situation and question, "What's Next?", and so should be considered possible and serious.

#83

Posted by: ThirdMonkey | September 4, 2008 4:18 PM

@Quite_D #70 "play on The Third Man"

No... My name is a play on "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil".
It's a stretch and perhaps a bit childish, but here it goes:
Instead of hiding from "evil" the third monkey looks and listens, facing the world as it is, yet is not corrupted.

#84

Posted by: skyotter | September 4, 2008 4:25 PM

TIME has a little background on the book banning issue. while mayor of Wasilla, Palin inquired whether there was a procedure for banning books because, apparantly, some voters were calling for it. there are conflicting stories whether a librarian was fired, or just threatened with firing, for not playing along. but community outrage ended the matter, and the issue was dropped. specifics aren't available because, to my knowledge, there are no actual specifics to make available: it's not like Palin produced a list of books that she wanted to ban, and she's never brought the issue up again

sounds to me like she was just a newbie mayor trying to make a minority of voters happy without realizing the full extent of what she was proposing, and the majority of voters corrected her before it got anywhere (YMMV of course)

#85

Posted by: ekzept | September 4, 2008 4:25 PM

How about we just stay and repair this one until it's the symbol of democracy it once was.

Well, it seems 40% of the populace wants to redefine what "democracy" and "liberty" mean.

Also, there have been periods in United States history which saw events like the kind a McCain-Palin ticket might take us. There was serious ugliess during the Red Scare, during the surge of the American (Nativist) Party, during the riots and fighting in settling Kansas. Perhaps the 1970s and 1980s are the interval that's singular.

It's sad to think we might be returning to less progressive times. I have the feeling, however, that world events, economic and otherwise, might mitigate excessive craziness, unless we get into a bomb lobbing contest with someone.

#86

Posted by: frog | September 4, 2008 4:28 PM

Todd: How about we just stay and repair this one until it's the symbol of democracy it once was.

When? 1975-1976?

#87

Posted by: JJR | September 4, 2008 4:32 PM

@ 80# above
>>And boy, did it seem like a lot of Republicans are against the idea of proper arrest procedures. Wasn't this the same crowd that a decade ago were referring to the ATF as "jack-booted thugs,"?

Oh they still do. And I do sort of agree that the AFT is constitutionally questionable and engaging in roguish "mission creep" to justify its own existence. I belong to both the NRA *and* the ACLU. Partisan Republicans can't understand why.

Apparently the Rightwing is ok with JBTs, so long as they only oppress brown people with funny sounding last names.
That's "defending democracy"

When same said JBTs come knocking at their door, it's Fascism.

Actually it's Fascism either way, but anyway...

Most conservative gun owners will rally around McCain/Palin, thanks to Palin coming onto the ticket.
They're ecstatic about Palin.

On the other hand, I'm a left-liberal gun owner and can't bring myself to vote for either major party, for a whole host of reasons.

All the Green Party platform really says is along the lines of "preserve the Gun Control Act of 1968", which is a compromise I can live with for now.

And I'm enough of a fatalist to know McCain/Palin will at least win Texas no matter what I do.

#88

Posted by: hje | September 4, 2008 4:34 PM

This is why it's it's time to terraform Mars.

It would be interesting if the next major human migration is driven by a desire to flee persecution by the uber-religious.

Sign me up, I've ready to leave.

#89

Posted by: Bill Dauphin | September 4, 2008 4:44 PM

it's not like Palin produced a list of books that she wanted to ban, and she's never brought the issue up again

The mere fact that

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