We haven’t done a poll in so long

Sorry. I used to post links to online polls all the time, just to mock their worthlessness, but I sort of stopped as it sunk in that people were still taking them way too seriously. Here’s one that’s sort of interesting, though: Fox News has a series of online poll questions asking what you think of Trump’s performance on various issues. And the respondents are generally hammering> him!

Did I say this was a Fox News poll? I did. It’s just really weird. The votes are in the tens of thousands right now, and it’s a landslide against Trump.

Where were these people on election day?

Flu poll

I saw the movie Contagion last night — it’s good, but chilling. You are at the mercy of viruses that are evolving far faster than we are, and our lives depend on the luck of our genetics, the random permutations of recombination in pathogens, a bit on our efforts in hygiene and social practices, and a great deal on science supplementing our immune systems. We’re one strong pandemic away from a breakdown of the social order, and we rely on science and vaccinations to help protect this tasty giant petri dish of human meat we call planet Earth.

So I’m not too sympathetic when the Edmonton Sun asks a stupid question.

Do you trust flu shots?

Yes 43%
No 56%

Asking for “trust” is silly, too. I don’t trust anything absolutely, but I provisionally trust the science behind vaccines. I think they’re just trying to encourage doubt with the phrasing.

(Also on FtB)

What should we call the new exhibit at the Creation “Museum”?

Answers in Genesis has done something really stupid (I know, that’s no surprise). The Creation “Museum” has some new exhibit, and they’re trying to come up with a name for it.

With a poll.

And here’s the best thing: it’s on facebook, and it’s a poll in which you can suggest names. It’s up over 30 suggestions now, and most of them are making fun of the thing. Go ahead and add your own ideas, but vote for a good one, too: so far, “From Ignorance to Stupidity…a Journey” is leading in the mocking names, so I suggest we all throw our votes behind that one.

Sometimes, the polls are already going the right way

Atheists are planning to run bus ads in Spokane that say, “Are you good without God? Millions are.” I know, about as mild and inoffensive as they come…but still, local media are running polls to find out if people will be offended.

Would an Atheist Billboard Campaign on the sides of STA Buses Offend You?

It would offend me
16%
It would not offend me 84%

I’m not very sportsmanlike. I’m happy to run the scoreboard.

Why use a poll to determine who gets civil rights?

You know who is really unhappy about NY’s gay marriage law? “Religious leaders”, of course.

Religious leaders slammed the state’s new gay marriage law on Saturday, vowing to ban politicians who supported the measure from any Catholic church and parochial school events.

The city’s top Catholic clergy released strongly worded statements in the hours after the state Senate voted 33-29 to legalize gay unions.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, of the diocese of Brooklyn, called on all Catholic schools to reject any honor bestowed upon them by Gov. Cuomo, who played a pivotal role in getting the bill passed.

He further asked all pastors and principals to “not invite any state legislator to speak or be present at any parish or school celebration.”

“This is a further erosion of the real understanding of marriage,” DiMarzio told the Daily News. “The state should not be concerned about regulating affection.”

And the Catholic church should? I think affection is a matter between the individuals concerned, and no one else…so the state did the right thing by taking away barriers. We don’t need the church putting up more.

Anyway, there’s a poll. It’s not going well. Do what you can.

Do you agree with the legislature on gay marriage?

Yes, the bill needed to be approved. 14%
No, I don’t think that gay marriage should be legal. 86%
I’m not sure yet. 0%