How to manipulate public opinion

Yesterday morning, in a report on the horrible flooding in Australia, they interviewed a farmer, and asked him why it was flooding so badly. Like a farmer is an expert on such things. All he was able to offer was that it is a tropical area and get's a lot of rain. He did say it was by far the worst. A few years ago, when NPR had a total ban on anything even slightly suggestive of global warming, this would have not made it to the air. I know, because I made a detailed list for a year and a half of how NPR covered, or didn't cover, certain topics. Once oil companies started admitting that the use of fossil fuels is causing an increase in greenhouse gases, leading to global warming, the blackout has not been so total. But it is obvious there is still pressure from their corporate contributors on the subject.

What is happening now, is NPR is interviewing people like the Red Cross and farmers, who are not climate experts, on why Australia is getting so much rain. Not surprisingly, the answer is there has been a lot of rain, including a strong cyclone. So the public gets the idea implanted that the question has been answered. And once people have an idea, it is very hard to change it. So NPR is not going to mention the fact there is 5% more moisture in the atmosphere, due to global warming, than there used to be. So if they eventually do point it out, the fact will be ignored by the public, and NPR can say they covered it.

Unfortunately, when people are given a reason, like "El Nino" or "La Nina", they don't think any further and ask why these systmes are getting stronger.



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