So-called

I don't understand why propaganda efforts rely on the phrase "so-called" so often. Do they think that denying that something is called by its real name makes it less effective? Don't they realize it tips off anyone paying attention to the fact that they are engaging in propaganda?

China is upset about the Dalai Lama being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The Associated Press reports that

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that "China resolutely opposes the U.S. Congress awarding the Dalai its so-called Congressional Gold Medal, and firmly opposes any country or any person using the Dalai issue to interfere in China's internal affairs."

I think it's probably safe to say that the name of the Congressional Gold Medal is factual. It is, in fact, called the Congressional Medal of Honor. I am at a loss to understand how anyone would think that trying to cast doubt on its legitimacy by using "so-called" weakens it.

Junk science?

In advance of the release of the latest dire climate change report from the UN, I received one of those inadvertently funny and inept media releases from a group that masquerades as caring about the environment, but wanting to inject reason and balance into the debate.

What I love about groups like this is how they seem unable to restrain themselves from saying things that make them look stupid.

The organization in question is the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, and their releases warns against taking the UN report seriously. The release arrived in advance of the press conference announcing the report, which was a bit confusing.

A good media release draws you in, tells you a story and quickly lets you understand why it is important. It does not use prose like this in the second paragraph:

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I (WG1), assigned to report on the state of climate change science, will release its ‘Summary for Policymakers’ on Friday, February 2. This is ostensibly an executive summary of their ‘Fourth Assessment Report’ WG1 full science report that will not be issued until May 2007.

Sounds good so far, don't it?

I couldn't resist visiting the group's Web site, which is full of gems, right on the home page.

First, there is the excessive use of quotation marks:

Impractical and exorbitantly expensive policies directed towards ‘global climate control’, unrealistic emission standards and so-called ‘green energy’, promoted by ideologically-driven ‘environmentalists’, are being widely accepted and vigorously promoted by mass media and politicians at all levels of government.

I'm surprised there aren't any "so-calleds" in there.

Then there's the persecution complex:

All natural resources management in Canada - forestry, fishing, mining, water management and agriculture included – have for years been targets of environmental extremists.

These guys must have been really disappointed with Harper's virage vert.