Thanks, Discovery Institute
The P-I covers the showing of a film critical of intelligent design and the Discovery Institute.
In this case the reporter makes reference to Michael Moore, in an attempt to portray the style of the film. But as we know, it's always been amazing how the righties find mentioning Moore to be the end of an argument. The righties have this vast propaganda machine and then they get upset when the tables are turned on them.
One of Olson's main points seems to be that scientists aren't so good at communication. There's some truth to that, but it's also true that real scientists aren't hired by front groups that get to use non-profit money to pursue a political agenda.
Let's face it, the Discovery Institute has jumped the shark. They failed miserably in Kansas, despite spending large sums of money on "public education" right before the Kansas Board of Education elections.
Having grown up in Kansas, I would suggest that Discovery made a huge strategic error by coming into that state in such a ham-handed manner. People back there don't like being told what to think, especially by residents of either coast. And they really, really hate being exposed to international ridicule, which is something the Discovery Institute helped make possible.
So the Discovery Institute actually played a big role, albeit accidental, in the resurgence of the Kansas Democratic Party. The insane Kansas AG Phill Kline had his head handed to him in November amidst numerous GOP defections, and people are mentioning Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius as national ticket material.
Maybe Discovery should take its message to more "red" states. At the rate the failed conservative movement is going, Utah is going to be in play by early 2008.
But Discovery Institute officials do not admire (biologist Randy) Olson or his new film, "Flock of Dodos" -- a sort of Michael Moore-style documentary that features interviews with supporters of intelligent design and evolution, scientific explanations, cartoon dodo birds and Olson's mother, Muffy "Moose" Olson, whose Kansas neighbor is an intelligent design spokesman.It must be a pretty entertaining film if the Discovery Institute is that concerned about it.
"There are several things that are just egregiously wrong to the point of being a hoax," John West, associate director for the institute's Center for Science and Culture, said of Olson's film. "He must think his audience is a flock of dodos."
Nevertheless, Olson's film is coming to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle on Monday -- Charles Darwin's birthday -- while the Discovery Institute marks the same occasion with a lecture and discussion on "Darwin Day and the Deification of Charles Darwin."
In this case the reporter makes reference to Michael Moore, in an attempt to portray the style of the film. But as we know, it's always been amazing how the righties find mentioning Moore to be the end of an argument. The righties have this vast propaganda machine and then they get upset when the tables are turned on them.
One of Olson's main points seems to be that scientists aren't so good at communication. There's some truth to that, but it's also true that real scientists aren't hired by front groups that get to use non-profit money to pursue a political agenda.
Let's face it, the Discovery Institute has jumped the shark. They failed miserably in Kansas, despite spending large sums of money on "public education" right before the Kansas Board of Education elections.
Having grown up in Kansas, I would suggest that Discovery made a huge strategic error by coming into that state in such a ham-handed manner. People back there don't like being told what to think, especially by residents of either coast. And they really, really hate being exposed to international ridicule, which is something the Discovery Institute helped make possible.
So the Discovery Institute actually played a big role, albeit accidental, in the resurgence of the Kansas Democratic Party. The insane Kansas AG Phill Kline had his head handed to him in November amidst numerous GOP defections, and people are mentioning Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius as national ticket material.
Maybe Discovery should take its message to more "red" states. At the rate the failed conservative movement is going, Utah is going to be in play by early 2008.
