Author Archives: ConcettMonti

Welcome to the Dark Side

by ConcettMonti Posted on August 19, 2016

Mother Jones

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Scientists report that they might have discovered a fifth basic force of nature:

Researchers at UC Irvine say they’ve found evidence for a fifth force — one carried by a particle that they’re calling “boson X.”…Tait said that their discovery might be a doorway to eventually creating a model that more accurately describes the universe….“This could actually be the dark force,” Tait said.

Boson X? Please. This is obviously the long-sought midichloriton. Get it together, scientists.

POSTSCRIPT: Why yes, I am having a little trouble finding things to blog about this morning. Why do you ask?

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Welcome to the Dark Side

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Chart: America Is More Liberal Than Politicians Think

by ConcettMonti Posted on May 24, 2015

Mother Jones

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Here’s a fascinating tidbit of research. A pair of grad students surveyed 2,000 state legislators and asked them what they thought their constituents believed on several hot button issues. They then compared the results to actual estimates from each district derived from national surveys.

The chart on the right is typical of what they found: Everyone—both liberal and conservative legislators—thought their districts were more conservative than they really were. For example, in districts where 60 percent of the constituents supported universal health care, liberal legislators estimated the number at about 50 percent. Conservative legislators were even further off: They estimated the number at about 35 percent.

Why is this so? The authors don’t really try to guess, though they do note that legislators don’t seem to learn anything from elections. The original survey had been conducted in August, and a follow-up survey conducted after elections in November produced the same result.

My own guess would be that conservatives and conservatism simply have a higher profile these days. Between Fox News and the rise of the tea party and (in the case of universal health care) the relentless jihad of Washington conservatives, it’s only natural to think that America—as well as one’s own district—is more conservative than it really is. But that’s just a guess. What’s yours?

Continued:  

Chart: America Is More Liberal Than Politicians Think

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