Autoblog Article: Ways Automakers Cheat Fuel Economy Tests

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Funny, the same people who discount the "broad scientific consensus" that food on the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk than conventional food.

There was once 'broad scientific consensus' that; the earth was flat; that asbestos was harmless & that saturated fat caused heart disease.

We don't live in an age of science, we live in an age of big business and politics.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

There was once 'broad scientific consensus' that; the earth was flat; that asbestos was harmless & that saturated fat caused heart disease.

We don't live in an age of science, we live in an age of big business and politics.

As I understand it, it was never widely accepted that the earth was flat among the educated, at least in recorded history. The Greeks measured its size well before Christ, and one of the reasons Christopher Columbus had difficulty in getting funding for finding another route to India was that the size of the world was known, and therefore it was known that crossing the Atlantic would take longer (nevermind that nobody knew if there would be any landmass in the way).

[ChazInMT]

Hey, since you dragged Christoph Columbi into the conversation, check out this link. You'll never think of that Jackwagon (Mild term for the more tender sensibilities here) in the same light again. I haven't been much of a fan of CC for a couple of decades, and after perusing this, even less so.

Christopher Columbus was awful (but this other guy was not) - The Oatmeal

[Ecky]

Hah, I'm actually quite familiar with his atrocities. Thanks though, I love The Oatmeal and it was a fun read.

[Xist]

The Oatmeal is not funny.

On Columbus Day I posted on Facebook that I was commemorating by putting three boats in someone else's backyard.

[Hersbird]

Columbus Day was created by a democrat to get more democrat votes. I am all for trading it and making Sept 11th a holiday instead. My problem with the holiday is it has nothing to do with America. He was a tremendous sailor but also a good example why sailors should be in charge of anything outside the realm of King Neptune.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

There was once 'broad scientific consensus' that; the earth was flat; that asbestos was harmless & that saturated fat caused heart disease.

Wrong on all three.

1) There never was a scientific consensus (or even a significant scientific minority view) that the Earth was flat. There was a religious dogma that said so (and still does :-)). A good many early scientists endangered themselves by demonstrating otherwise. See e.g. Galileo, Copernicus, et al.

2) Asbestos, like a good many other things, is far less harmful than certain public hysterics would like us to believe. Certainly in the ways and quantities it was used prior to the mid-20th century.

3) Sorry, but excessive consumption of saturated fats IS linked to heart disease.

[Frank Lee]

http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/fil..._and_Facts.pdf

[Xist]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/fil..._and_Facts.pdf

I do not remember who claimed that I would post a link to another site and walk away.

I certainly do not.

From the .PDF:

MYTH: In terms of emissions, ethanol pollutes the same as gasoline or more.[...]

MYTH: Ethanol cannot be produced from corn in large enough quantities to make a real difference
without disrupting food and feed supplies.[...]

MYTH: More energy goes into producing ethanol than it delivers as a fuel.[...]

MYTH: Ethanol-gasoline blends can lower fuel economy and may harm your engine.[...

MYTH: Rainforests will be destroyed to create the new croplands required to meet food, feed, and biofuels needs, thus accelerating climate change and destroying valuable ecosystems.[...]

No, I did not provide anything to support those claims, that is in the document, but now that the facts have been established, I guess that we can go home.

[Frank Lee]