Basic shit
Tired of reading the idiot comparisons to tobacco in connection with the "global warming" fraud. The analogy is always a vicious smear against Non-Experts who are Not Doing Basic Research. All of the Experts who are being paid billions for Basic Research tell us that carbon causes the end of the universe. Just like all of the Experts who were paid billions for Basic Research on cancer always told us that tobacco causes cancer. Denialismismists deny the Holy Scripture of Experts in both cases.

Nope.

Listen to this 15-minute public service announcement from 1948. Produced by the American Cancer Society, clearly designed to fit into a soap-opera slot in afternoon radio.

The plot: For a long time John Doe has been noticing a medical research building in his neighborhood where one window is lit up at all hours of the night. He calls the window the Square Moon because it's just as constant as the real moon.

One day John finds a Thing on his lip. He makes an appointment to see Doc immediately (at 8 PM!). Doc says it looks like it could be cancer, and cuts a little sample of the Thing to send off for testing. John is understandably worried.

Days later, still worried and unable to sleep, John walks into the research building and finds the lab behind the Square Moon. He walks in (where's Security?) and starts chatting with the researcher. Finds out that the scientist is working on frog neurons instead of Things On Lips. John is understandably pissed.

The following dialog starts at about 7:30......

= = = = =

John Doe: Here I am, and hundreds of thousands of others, walking around with cancer. Praying for a cure, looking to science for life itself, and what's happening? You chaps haven't gotten any further than playing around with frogs! Will that cure my cancer?

Scientist: No. No it won't. Here, have a cigarette. [click] [fffffff] [aaaahhhh]

John Doe: Thank you.

Scientist: You've got a good case of nerves.

John Doe: Wouldn't you? In my spot?

= = = = =

From there, Scientist proceeds to explain the concept of Basic Research, which means of course that lots of Scientists get to play with frogs and make lots of money. Of course he doesn't put it that way.

This wasn't from the Denialists. This was from the American Cancer Society itself, effectively endorsing the medical benefits of smoking.

In 1948 there was nothing mysterious about the connection between tobacco and cancer. It wasn't a Basic Research kind of thing that required lots of money for Scientists to fuck around with frogs. Everyone knew a smoker who had acquired lung cancer. Many died, and some survived after removal of one lung. The tobacco companies tried to cover up the facts, and ACS also tried to cover up the facts because playing with frogs is more fun.

Incidentally, I thought about writing this a week ago and looked up a reliable place to href the clip. The search results a week ago included a historical archive at ACS itself, which seemed like the best href. Now, a week later, Google doesn't find that link. Maybe I'm just failing to see it, but I looked rather carefully. Did Google realize the link was being found by a Heretic?

Labels: Carbon Cult

  ¶ 1:06 AM