Fear of Clowns

Over the last few years, my reaction to claims by climate change deniers has gone from angry to amused. Here is enough amusement to last a year.

My favorite part was the alert to a claim that the rise in sea levels "has been shrinking since 2005" as illustrated by the blue part of this graph,

Labels: climate change, media, right wingers, science

// posted by Erik @ 1/22/2009 10:03:00 PM
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Hah,

You said during your debate with Joe Biden that "I'm not one to attribute every activity of man to the changes in the climate". Huh? Well I would certainly agree. Not sure how this is relevant, but I do agree. You emphasized that "We have got to clean up this planet. We have got to encourage other nations also to come along with us with the impacts of climate change". I guess I am confused again. The U.S. has only 5% of the world's population, but we consume 25% of the world's fossil fuels. This doesn't seem to me like leadership in cleaning up the planet.

I add that if Palin doesn't think Man is responsible for climate change, how can anyone "encourage other nations also to come along with us with the impacts of climate change"?

Bob Herbert

But after Senator Biden suggested that John McCain’s answer to the nation’s energy problems was to "drill, drill, drill," Ms. Palin promptly pointed out, as if scoring a point, that "the chant is 'Drill, baby, drill!'"

How’s that for perspective? The credit markets are frozen. Our top general in Afghanistan is dialing 911. Americans are losing jobs by the scores of thousands. And Sarah Palin is making sure we know that the chant is "drill, baby, drill!" not "drill, drill, drill."

Labels: 2008 presidential debates, climate change, energy, Sarah Palin

// posted by Erik @ 10/04/2008 12:26:00 AM
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Here's the Republican response to the last major hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast.

This time, they seem to be sending up trial balloons indicating they realize the political fate resulting from a a split screen hurricane/convention coverage scenario.

Labels: 2008 elections, Bush White House, climate change, Republicans

// posted by Erik @ 8/31/2008 01:38:00 AM
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Crude oil from bacteria.

Labels: climate change, energy, technology

// posted by Erik @ 6/15/2008 12:54:00 AM
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Pictures from the 2008 Chaitén eruption. Before:

After:

Volcanic ash replenishes soil nutrients.

Labels: botany, climate change, photos, science

// posted by Erik @ 5/09/2008 01:36:00 AM
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Continued from here, comments on a few more expert scientist global warming skeptics lauded by easily influenced Republican sympathizers.

• Dr. Nathan Paldor. Among the important body of research Dr. Palador has produced is the scientific study of God's parting of the Red Sea, as revealed by the Prophet Moses in Exodus 14.
• John McClean, cited by the document as an "Australian climate researcher" has a website where he describes himself as an "Computer consultant and occasional travel photographer".
• Dr. Eigil Friis-Christensen - a real scientist - is quoted in the offending document,
  
  
  The sun is the source of the energy that causes the motion of the atmosphere and thereby controls weather and climate.
  
  
  Here is a statement by Dr. Christensen in which he specifically objects to the use of of his data to imply solar variation is the only cause of climate change,
  
  
  Although solar variations seem to be a major cause of climate variations on centennial and millenial time scales in the pre-industrial era ... there are certainly other natural sources of climate change. For the industrialised period, ... results do not exclude an effect from man-made greenhouse gases.

Labels: climate change, Republicans, right wingers, science

// posted by Erik @ 3/27/2008 09:31:00 PM
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In comments to a post over at 5ft3 referencing a report by Senate Republicans claiming there is no consensus on global warming between

Al Gore (who let us remember is NOT a scientist) and actual scientists

I mercifully pointed out that,

Seems to me you're chasing your own tail when you point out Gore is a politician not a scientist, then turn around and support your case by referencing a political document.

Beth responds,

It was from a Senate Report about 400 scientists who are coming out to say that the global warming alarmists are nuts, how is this not a commentary on scientific thought?

What would make me feel better is for you to address the content and not the source.

Among the leading scientific minds Beth is staking the future of her descendants upon are,

• Georgia D. Brown, an instructor at a technical college offering 2 year associate degrees and High School GEDs.
• "Dr." Hans HJ Labohm, who does not claim to be a "Dr." of anything. Indeed he doesn't claim he has a diploma in anything, only that he "studied Economics and Economic History at the University of Amsterdam". He is employed by NRSP, a Canadian lobbyist group that does not claim or deny whether it is funded by energy companies.
• Paavo Siitam doesn't claim a degree of any kind either, and describes himself as a "retired teacher of biology, chemistry, physics and general science". Sounds like a 7th grade general science teacher.

The fact is there are generously perhaps a dozen or so legitimate scientists in relevant fields who continue to challenge the consensus view on the anthropomorphic influence on climate change and several dozen more who's livelihoods depend on arguing against the consensus.

The last scientific association to officially challenge the consensus was the American Association of Petroleum Geologists which now appears neutrally agnostic ("Although the AAPG membership is divided on the degree of influence that anthropogenic CO2 has ... the AAPG believes that expansion of scientific climate research into the basic controls on climate is important") yet supports "reducing emissions from fossil fuel use as a worthy goal."

Still, there are the 400 or so deniers among high school teachers and college dropouts discovered by a Republican Senate aide using Google.

Labels: climate change, Republicans, right wingers, science

// posted by Erik @ 3/27/2008 08:29:00 PM
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