President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

Should I show 'em how to do principal components? Explain the difference between orthogonal and oblique rotation?

 

I'm getting the feeling you're having trouble comprehending friendly conversation and the natural progression of such discussions.

 

Or, if you grow up in places like California, you'll be raised to be so annoying people will line up to strangle you.

 

There is lot of postmodern explanation going on. How does location explain smoking, diabetes, or obesity? Hint: It's not just a lack of availability of fresh produce or gym options.

 

Inky, you're reading the report on the study, not the study itself. And the report on the study doesn't even support the inference you've made. The study is even further removed from that.

Now, your theory may be right. Maybe location -- simply the location, on its own, with everything else controlled for -- does matter. But the study at the heart of this contretemps ain't backing that theory up.

 

All Statements Scrubbed From Trump Campaign Site—Including Travel Ban

 

Does friendly conversation involve ignoring people with whom you disagree?

 

I know the study doesn't say that.

That said, I believe geography certain plays a role in shaping behavior which then can influence your health. For example, I live in a city where smoking is still allowed in bars. There are more smokers per capita here than in a nearby city that has banned indoor smoking aside from private residences. Now, would all the smokers here quit if they couldn't light up while they were getting lit at the Hungry Horse Tavern? Nope. But some might. Or smoke less often. (Are smoking rates and ability to smoke in public connected? I don't know. I'd guess so.)

My cousin in Dallas thinks our cousin in DC is a loon for walking three miles to the office and three miles back. The DFW cousin takes a golf cart from their house to the country club for dinner - a distance of a quarter mile. The DC cousin has lost 30 pounds in the past couple of years just because he's walking to the Hill and back every day. SOB eats like a glutton, but six miles each day is helping him shed weight.

Yes, yes, correlation vs. causation and personal anecdotes vs. data. I know. I know. And, geez, sometimes I just want to have a discussion without all the usual BS on this thread - like we'd do if we were actually sitting around a table having a drink.

 

Is science reporting the worst reporting?

It's kind of funny. SCIENCE! is so important right now. And, it absolutely necessary that we believe whatever SCIENCE! tells us.

And, the media is very insistent that we believe what SCIENCE! tells us, and not deny SCIENCE!

Yet, this very same media seems unable to to do good reporting on SCIENCE!

 

Stop bringing facts to this discussion!

I want to make unsupported general statements, and get praised for them, rather than have to defend them.

Geez!

 

I've raised this a few times. There was the piece -- I posted it on the journalism thread -- about GMOs and pesticides ... here it is:

Is This Science Journalism? Or Is It Something Else?

 

It's almost as if it has an entire field of study dedicated to it.