Interesting things are happening out there for which Eli cheerfully accepts his share of the blame. First, Werner Aeschbach-Hertig provides a reality check in his new blog. Prof. Aeschbach-Hertig is the fellow who undressed George Chilingar. You can read more about this at the link. He brings an interesting set of expertise to the table, being a specialist in paleoclimate and hydology. His university web site is also worth plundering. Among other goodies, is a large set of Powerpoint presentations on various climate topics at all levels.Second, Silvia Tognetti in Post Normal Times, writes about the Guardian hosting a wrestling match between Gary Yohe and Bjorn Lomborg ending with their kissing and making up. Eli had pointed out that Yohe IS the original Lomborg and finding that they have kissed and made up is as surprising as finding that the sun came up this morning. Yohe lead the way 20 years ago for Lomborg's strategy, as Sylvia puts it
if one fully accepts the tenets of neo-classical economics and cost-benefit analysis, and all of the shaky assumptions that come with it, Lomborg's arguments are crap, and dangerously misleading because he misrepresents the trade-offs and ignores the qualificationsWhile Eli and Ethon had observed the show the PNT analysis is a must read.
Previously Eli pointed to Naomi Oreskes showing how Yohe provided the head fake that Wm. Nierenberg used to stop any rational action against the looming threat of climate change in From Chicken Little to Dr. Pangloss: William Nierenberg, Global Warming and the Social Deconstruction of Scientific Knowledge by Oreskes, Conway and Matthew Shindell. Sylvia promises to blog about this more in the future. It will be worth reading.
As will the comments below
http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/rabbets-and-carrots-without-the-stick/#comment-52107
ReplyDeleteIf some one got to much time over you might want to take a look at one of to few swedish "stars" on the area.
ReplyDeletehttp://publications.lib.chalmers.se/cpl/record/index.xsql?pubid=69078
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e.g.
Naomi Oreskes also has a good piece at the Times on Nierenberg:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4690900.ece
As you know, Tim Lamberg links to it here: http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2008/09/the_secret_climate_change_war.php
tokyotom links to Tim Lamberg.
ReplyDeleteA Freudian slip? Like saying one thing, but meaning your mother? (To paraphrase a common pun).
Cymraeg llygoden
Dear Rabbet,
ReplyDeleteCarbon emissions have no discernable effect on climate, but our gullibility nets promoters of this “crisis” billions per year. Meanwhile they change nothing of their own lifestyles, though they also live on the planet they claim we are destroying. Claiming to want to save us from our folly, they seek to strip away our freedoms while destroying our economy. While the climate itself mocks their so-called linkages, and our economy is already on the edge of collapse, a Democratic Congress is still pushing for carbon cap legislation. What will it take to bring this farce to an end?
Your website leads me to believe we share the concerns about this attempt to sell out our country for profit and power. Would you help me promote a book I have written examining this hoax? It is intended to make readers angry over being played for patsies. If enough people read it, it would create a public backlash against that legislation, but through my own efforts, I have been unable to sufficiently publicize this work. Would you also pass this e-mail on to all your peers you think might agree and help?
The book is entitled “A Climate Crisis a la Gore” and is organized as follows:
• Introduction – the motivation behind the assembly of this information for public use.
• Part 1 – Excerpted ideas from Mr. Gore’s book, The Assault on Reason. regarding the proper and reasonable way to enter an argument or evidence are used to critique his film, where apparently he used all the assault techniques he claims to deplore
• Part 2 – A claim by claim analysis of Mr. Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. These are evaluated with simple logic, claims elsewhere in the documentary; Mr. Gore’s excerpted written principles of reasoning, and scientific research and findings regarding the subjects of his claims.
• Part 3 – A rather cynical discussion and disclosure of players and special interest groups creating the perception of a global climate crisis. The history of the movement is examined, motives behind involvement, dollar amounts of profit already being reaped by promoters, and what they stand to gain if America enacts carbon legislation.
• Conclusion – The coming economic storm resulting from enacting this legislation and a plea to readers to contact legislators demanding such laws be reconsidered.
Excerpts can be reviewed and the book ordered at Amazon.com by entering the title or ISBN# (978-1-4196-8684-9) If you are willing to inform your readers of its contents and availability, an informed (and angry) population of voters might be a real, and maybe the only, check and balance system capable of stopping Congress.
Sincerely,
Paul Spite
Mr. Rabett and I have been exchanging views at some other blogs. Since he provides a link to the "Chicken Little" paper I would like to provide a link to a critique of that paper here. My blog referenced from that site also discusses the Times story.
ReplyDelete