Reducing Pat Michaels to a Joke

Well, it's hard work but some bunny has to do it.  Reliable readers (does Rabett Run have any, you know, the kind you can trust your lucky rabetts feet with?) have noticed a few posts here and there about the Cato Institute flim flam imitation of the US Global Change Research Program Impacts in the United State report.  A draft of this special from the firm of Michaels and Knappenberger got loose (the embarrassment was too much for the poor dear) and it got pre-reported and panned. 

Speculation was that the report was going to be released a few weeks ago to be used to fool the rubes and hold off questions about climate change to Republican and a few Democratic candidates (Joe Manchin from WVa comes to mind).  Speculation also holds that the publicity delayed the release until October 31, when it flew right into the Sandy maelstrom caused by the loss of a few inconsequential islands and the occasional large building housing banks and stock exchanges.

But, of course, it was always a joke according to Pat

Michaels, working with a team of experts and scientists, assembled a draft addendum to the USGCRP report, which they submitted as comments to the EPA on June 22.

"Calling this an 'addendum' is a tongue-in-cheek jab at the substantial relevant science the authors of the USCGRP report left on the cutting room floor while crafting their version," said Michaels. "We came up with the idea when we noticed that literally every paragraph in their report is missing critical information. Our report adds much additional information on how climate change impacts the United States, using a more exhaustive survey of peer-reviewed science than the USGCRP relied upon."

In retirement, Eli looks forward to the many postings that he will have from the EPA comments on this report but the more important point is that the blogs slowed the release up until it was  well, a joke.

*  artwork via the Weasel