Topic: Consensus

The "Value for Value" model is explained as a service-based alternative to platforms like Patreon or Spotify. The hosts encourage the use of modern podcast apps to avoid de-platforming and to receive "bat signal" notifications. They also describe their consensus-based process for selecting show art from the No Agenda Art Generator.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is promoting the "Defiance Act," a bipartisan bill aimed at creating civil recourse for victims of non-consensual AI-generated pornography. AOC claims over 90% of AI-developed imagery is sexually exploitative. The hosts suggest AOC may be seeking her own "Taylor Swift moment" regarding deepfake legislation.

A group of 600 scientists is reportedly preparing to sue Al Gore and the IPCC over alleged inaccuracies in global warming reports. An analysis by the Business & Media Institute is cited, claiming that 80% of network news stories on climate change fail to mention alternative scientific opinions. The hosts argue that the media, particularly CBS, promotes hysteria while ignoring significant pollution sources like China.

The hosts review several new "ISO" sound effects for the show's soundboard. After comparing options including "Wow" and "That's Crazy," they reached a consensus on a "Holy Cow" clip to be used in future episodes.

Reports indicate that Alaska's glaciers are losing 75 billion tons of ice annually, contributing to an eight-inch rise in sea levels over the last century. A heated exchange between Rick Perry and Al Franken focuses on the validity of the 97% consensus figure, with Perry calling it "bogus." The discussion also touches on Pope Francis's support for climate action, with Franken questioning why religious skeptics don't show more humility toward the Pope's position.

David Brooks expresses relief that life-and-death decisions are being moved to state governors rather than the White House. He cites polling data showing a bipartisan consensus in favor of social distancing and a fear of a second wave of infections. The hosts characterize this "unity" as a sign of a "country of sheep" who are too afraid to return to normal life.

Rihanna Gun-Wright, policy director for New Consensus and an ally of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, claimed on CNN that the difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees of warming represents "25 Holocausts" in terms of human deaths. The hosts mock the use of this extreme metric and the framing of climate change as the primary driver of all other social issues.

Australian geologist Ian Plimer challenges the widely cited statistic that 97% of scientists agree on human-driven climate change. Plimer traces the number back to a University of Queensland survey where, out of thousands of respondents, only 77 were specifically selected for the final metric, and 75 of those agreed with the consensus. He argues the figure is a result of statistical manipulation rather than a broad scientific survey.

The BBC has issued internal guidance to staff to avoid giving "equal airtime" to climate change deniers, comparing the scientific consensus to the factual result of a football match. Critics argue this policy suppresses legitimate scientific dissent and ignores the complexities of computer modeling. The segment disputes the "97% consensus" figure, suggesting it is a manufactured statistic used to marginalize opposing viewpoints.

The hosts challenge the notion of a total scientific consensus on climate change, citing a letter signed by 30,000 dissenting scientists. They revisit a 1989 Reuters report where a UN official predicted that entire nations would be wiped out by the year 2000 if global warming was not reversed. The reliance on computer simulations for long-term environmental forecasting is criticized as unreliable.

The main donation segment features a recommendation for the documentary "Human Zoos," which explores the history of scientific racism and eugenics in America. Numerous producers are thanked for their financial support, including those contributing "33 squared" amounts ($10.89). The hosts read notes from "knights" and "dames" across the US and Canada who support the show's media deconstruction.

The hosts identify "tells" or micro-expressions in Al Gore's interview, specifically an awkward chuckle when discussing the scientific community. Gore claimed that 99-plus percent of scientists are aligned on climate objectives and compared dissenters to "flat earthers." He also labeled the United States a "rogue nation" for its stance on the Paris Agreement. The rapid development of Hurricane Michael is discussed as a potential "freak storm" used to bolster climate narratives.

John C. Dvorak takes an online global warming survey from KQED/PBS. Based on his answers—that warming is natural and not a personal threat—he is categorized as a "Dismissive." The hosts argue that "consensus is not science" and criticize the survey for using leading questions to pigeonhole skeptics as "born-again Christians" or "conservative males."

A donor's note discusses the influence of the Five-Nation Confederacy on the American Founders, specifically Benjamin Franklin. The theory suggests that the U.S. government structure borrowed heavily from indigenous forms of consensus-based governance. The hosts critique the efficiency of consensus-based systems, citing modern Swedish and Japanese corporate cultures as examples of where the model can become cumbersome.

Dr. Judith Curry discusses her resignation from academia during an interview with Tucker Carlson, alleging that research funding is exclusively directed toward human-caused climate change studies. She argues that natural climate variability is under-researched and that she has been vilified by activist colleagues for challenging the dominant narrative. Curry addresses the "98% consensus" claim, stating she technically falls within it despite disagreeing on the degree of human impact.

The frequently cited "97% consensus" on man-made global warming is dismissed as a statistical lie based on a limited set of papers. The discussion also covers the Trump transition team's questionnaire to the Department of Energy, which was met with resistance from civil servants.

The hosts critique comedian John Oliver for his inconsistent use of statistics. They contrast his insistence on the "97% consensus" regarding climate change with his mockery of Donald Trump's claim that 98% of students liked Trump University. The segment highlights the perceived smugness of late-night talk show hosts.

The hosts examine the term "hemicycle," a semi-circular seating arrangement used in the European Parliament to encourage political consensus. They play a clip of Frans Timmermans defending the EU's democratic mandate against critics like Nigel Farage.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson sparked discussion by quoting Galileo to argue that scientific truth is not determined by consensus or the "authority of a thousand." Tyson expressed dissatisfaction with the "97% of scientists agree" talking point regarding climate change, suggesting that the focus should instead be on the results of experiments and observations. This perspective is seen as a departure from his usual stance, emphasizing that individual reasoning and data should outweigh collective agreement in science.

A host mentions investigating "Flat Earth" theories, specifically the idea that Antarctica is an ice ring surrounding the earth. This is prompted by John Kerry's dismissal of climate skeptics as members of the "Flat Earth Society." While not endorsing the theory, the host expresses an interest in looking at the arguments being made by the community.