Quote from: K-Dog on Feb 06, 2026, 09:41 PMEh huh, funny yes, and a rube-Goldberg assembly of disconnected facts.  Much ado about nothing.

I didn't use much of any facts. I just used an example to make a point. I could do a dissertation with a ream of footnotes on how this has been done on the interenet forums I've perused over the years.

Of course I expect better from an EE.

Quote from: K-DogTo the ignorant there are obviously no connections to be made.

Not necessarily true. Peak oilers, ignorant of oil, geology and the geosciences at large, were happy to make connections. As are conspiracy folks at large. Some could argue that ignorant and conspiracies go easily hand in hand. I could probably put that correlation just from memory in the peak oil world.

I can NOT necessarily extrapolate that experience with the ignorant and/or uninformed making connections into other topics.

Quote from: K-DogTo the ignorant everything in life is a weird conspiracy theory made from magic and disconnected facts.

To the ignorant everything in life can be a weird conspiracy, or they can be so ignorant that don't have a clue what one might be. Such is the nature of ignorant....and interestingly, I have become convinced that ignorant is not required to be correlated with intelligience. I can name some smart PhD types that prove it.

Quote from: K-DogThink about it, their ground must always move.  Nothing solid.  They can't make, refine and possibly disregard theories in the face of new evidence.  Evidence ??? What's that.  Nothing solid enough for analysis in their sphere, or in contrary reality is for them as solid and unmovable as rock and nothing can change.  Take your pick.

I agree. And can name and have argued with PhDs who fit your description. Belief in something, be it religion or conspiracies, is  powweful thing, and can negate facts, logic, math and even interfere with the ability to think logically, when a given belief is contradicted by evidence.

Quote from: K-DogThe safe path is the middle ground.  In this case X is very important.

I completely agree. Few have the ability to speak truth to the power, and being punished by the Forum Gods for daring to fight back against the a commonly espoused idea is the usual response for those who do. So folks muddle around in the middle because....it is encouraged, socially acceptable, and most folks don't have what it takes to just.....dare.

When bored in retirement one day, I have considered writing a book on the topic.