The weather for the last few days has been colder than normal. There would be no doubt that the Fox News misinforming talking heads would be out in droves. They did not disappoint. Jon Stewart did a segment on various Fox News talking heads making a mockery out of science. His segment included a rather graphic skit that shows the absurdity of climate change deniers. Some Fox News believers may actually get it if they open up their minds to rational thinking. Check it out here.
One could contend that one of the reasons misinformation metastasizes into the brains of otherwise rational people is the lack of pushback from otherwise reputable sources. What is sad is that reputable sources generally have more viewers and listeners. As an example, NBC’s morning show averaged 4.975 million viewers. Rush Limbaugh gets a dubious 1.4 million.
The portion of society desiring fact based information got a welcomed broadside this week. Al Roker gave one of his standard meteorological segments on the Today Show. He explained that this abnormal cold blast was caused by a ‘polar vortex.’ He described the ‘polar vortex’ as a polar hurricane that broke loose and released the extreme cold to the south that is not normally experienced.
Rush Limbaugh in his eternal ignorance said the ‘polar vortex’ term was just created for this week. Rush Limbaugh’s attack on global warming/climate change was no different than the attack by his Right Wing ilk at Fox News.
Al Roker lays into the ‘polar vortex’ doubters.
Al Roker would have none of it. It took it on head first. He said many folks think the ‘polar vortex’ talk is some left wing conspiracy.
“This is from my textbook from college, the Glossary of Meteorology from the Meteorological Society copyright 1959,” Al Roker said. “OK and here we go. Take a look right here OK. ‘Polar vortex’, there it is OK. So for all the doubters out there, STUFF IT.”
More talking heads in the media who want to be considered fact based should take this up. They should challenge lies and misinformation head on. It would return some modicum of credibility to the traditional media.