http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2014/03/new-california-bill-threatens-orca-shows-seaworld

So after watching the heavily biased, dubiously sourced documentary Blackfish, a California assemblyman proposed sweeping laws on orca handling. I'm fine with a law on animal treatment, if it's based in good research and data, but I find it scary this guy can admit that most of his recommendations aren't based in a real study, and be taken seriously.

This happens at all levels of legislation. Some representative who is not an expert in an area can easily be influenced to outrage based on something he saw on tv or that a lobbyist influenced him/her on, then go and write a law based on this.

Given modern standards and technologies, it seems to me more policy should be coming from unbiased research groups, rather than political wild hairs. We need to be expanding the official gov think tanks.

3/10/2014 2:44:23 AM

The power of media/propaganda/good storytelling

3/10/2014 2:53:16 AM

Yup, democracy is not a very good system. Also, just about any law with someone's name in it usually turns out being a bad law.

3/10/2014 9:18:48 AM

why do you need a study to decide that keeping wild animals in captivity solely for amusement is something that shouldn't be allowed?

3/10/2014 10:18:50 AM

Shouldn't this be called the Representative democracy credibility watch thread?

3/10/2014 10:58:18 AM

direct democracy is even worse

3/10/2014 11:12:33 AM

Quote :

" policy should be coming from unbiased research groups"

Give me a truly unbiased research group and I've got some oceanfront property with a very good deal on it just for you.

And dt, I don't think moron is questioning whether or not its a good idea to keep a several ton whale in captivity. It's just the ability of someone to sway congressional opinion on little more than an...opinion, not based in fact.

Similar to how you view Fox news

3/10/2014 1:05:01 PM

my point is that you don't need empirical evidence to make every decision, plenty can be made with logic

3/10/2014 1:17:25 PM

Any updates moron? How are things on the democracy front?

5/14/2026 2:15:59 AM

The UK is finding it only works when you don't import millions of people with completely illiberal ideas.

5/14/2026 4:58:57 PM

democracy is dead but also separately dtownral was right here

not every problem has a clean/neat empirical answer.

5/14/2026 11:20:04 PM

5/14/2026 11:57:26 PM

And a modern haircut.

5/15/2026 6:45:32 AM

[Edited on May 15, 2026 at 8:41 AM. Reason : one of his more stylish looks imo. less of the psychotic intellectual look, but hey sex sells]

5/15/2026 8:40:12 AM

Good change. It works for him!

5/15/2026 12:18:49 PM