One of the most notorious examples of denial currently on offer today in the world is the assertion that all scientists now accept the canard of anthropogenic (CO2 caused) global warming. The "few" that do not are dismissed as obscurantists and probably mentally deranged. Here is a classic of the genre.
Despite a near-universal scientific consensus to the contrary, climate change sceptics continued this year to insist that global warming is a farce. Although the Republican party officially acknowledges the role of humans in climate change, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin remained unconvinced during her campaign as Senator John McCain's vice presidential running-mate, asserting "I'm not one though who would attribute [global warming] to being manmade". The NBC late night show Saturday Night Live famously satirized Palin: when asked about her views on global warming, Palin's double Tina Fey responded, "I believe it's just God hugging us closer." More recently, climate bloggers have been up in arms over two articles published by the website Politico. One calls into question the science behind global warming and the other suggests that extreme cold-weather events coincide with appearances by former US Vice president Al Gore. Little wonder that American public opinion still fluctuates over whether climate change is a serious problem. (Full text here.)
What does a "near universal scientific consensus" look like? Clearly, according to this particular author, it must dismiss the increasingly famous US Senate Minority Report, the brainchild of Senator Inhofe who is a tireless campaigner against the global warming hoax. It has recently been re-published (December 11th, 2008), updating the 2007 edition. The 233 page report presents links to the views of 650 dissenting scientists from around the world. Last year's edition contained 400; this means that 250 dissenters added their names and views this past year. Many of these have formerly been part of the UN IPCC charade. Most have outstanding qualifications and experience. You can get a copy of the full report here.
So the "near universal scientific consensus" appears to be unravelling rapidly--if it ever existed. It is now the global warmers who increasingly deserve an indictment of obscurantism. We are going to see more of this in New Zealand as the Emissions Trading Scheme is subject to parliamentary review. One of the contributors to The Standard, the Labour Party funded blog, recently stated that the parliamentary review will end up questioning the basic science of climate change. The commentator wrote: We’re about to become the nation state equivalent of the flat earth society.
Actually he has misdirected his barb. We are already a nation state equivalent of the flat earth society. The previous Labour Government wanted New Zealand to lead the world into the equivalent of flat-earthism. We are trying to escape the ignorant obscurantism of the global warming hoax and return to a world of real science. Hopefully the inquiry into the Emissions Trading Scheme will take us some back to sanity and reality.
1 comment:
A very interesting post, thanks.
Your comment on Whale Oil brings to mind the idea of Perception Management which novelist David Baldacci wrote about in a recent novel (may have been The Whole Truth, I stand to be corrected). Which was the manipulation of the public by the media, the influence of the blogosphere on this, and how enough support, especially through violent, doctored images, can get some pretty strong reaction. Different situation (Baldacci's fictional 'drama' was completely manufactured for the arms dealer's purpose so there was no actual conflict to begin with) but the similarities in methodology are there. Scary stuff.
"Whaleoil has some interesting documentary evidence of staged propaganda photos of civilians suffering in Gaza. Once again the western media has forgotten that the first casualty in war is the truth--particularly when one of the combatants has made the propaganda war the real war."
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