An Essay Concerning Our Weather

I've been temporarily distracted from my Steele's Climate Horror Stories project by Science of Doom's naive excursion into social/political commentary.  While working on my next post which looks at some of the comments over at SoD I was reminded of an article I wrote for the 1995 November/December issue of the Humanist Magazine which was followed by a slightly edited version Nov/Dec 2005 which I'm reprinting here since I've been wanting to do so for a long time and I'll be referring to it in my next post.

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“Katrina and Rita in Context”


Printed in The Humanist,  Nov-Dec, 2005 issue 






There has been something missing from the recent news coverage in the aftermath of 
Hurricanes Katrina's and Rita. No one seems to be reporting on the real story ~ namely the 
weather.

 

These most recent storms should encourage U.S. citizens to recognize that we are facing a 
powerful entity that has only begun to barge into our American way. Look up into that 
beautiful sky overhead and consider its substance, dynamics and might. Our atmosphere is 
the product of more than four billion years of ongoing evolution ~ geological as well as 
biological. It's a tenuous veil of gases that lays upon the surface of our earth, thin as 
the finest silk upon your skin. This veil has a most interesting structure, one that's 
worth thinking about.



Denial games at ScienceofDoom

One of the few websites I recommend at this blog is Science of Doom.com 
(Correction, The more I thought about his words the more he seemed willfully duplicitous, 
February 25th I finally deleted my link to SoD )
because it's done an impressive job of getting into the nitty gritty of the physics of greenhouse gases.  I'll admit I don't actively keep up on it, since I don't pretend to be able comprehend the deeper physics and higher math any better than 99% of the other commenters on the state of the climate science "debate".  That's why we have a community of well trained very smart experts who have devoted their lives to understanding it.  You know, recognition of one's limitations is as important as developing one's strengths.

I any event, I was shocked by SoD's recent bizarre departure into social commentary.  In it he belittles folks who dare apply the term "denier" to people who lie about what climate scientists have been learning.  I think Pekka Pirilä summed it up best in his 2/14/15/ (9:53am) comment:

"I see the real issue in the acceptance of the diversity of people."
"Words are, however, just the tip of the iceberg, the more general issue of tolerance of diversity is really the core."

To me, he underscored SoD's blindspot, which I want to bring to light.  
First off, serious science isn't about "tolerance of diversity", it's about pinning down the facts as well as possible.  
Secondly, making a career out of lying about what climatologist are learning isn't about "tolerance of diversity" - as the Republican/libertarian PR machine want's us to believe - it's about fraud!  
A fraud that deserves the label "climate science denial."

______________________________________________________

{This is a slightly expanded version of the comment I shared with SoD.  Sadly I know he's deeply offended, which unfortunately tends to mean that he won't try to consider a thing I wrote.  Another sad commentary on the state of human dialogue these days.  Maybe someone else can find a gentler way to reframe these thoughts.}

February 14, 2015 at 3:09 am 

citizenschallenge

You know SoD, I’ll admit, first time I read through your post – I got all caught up with the comments section. Since then RD got me to revisit W’s cartoon comment, which got me to reread your original article. Seems my first read-through was superficial, biased by my high regard for you, (earned by some of your fine posts explaining the physics of greenhouse gases). I now appreciate that in my focus on various comments I overlooked much in your words and thoughts worth taking issue with. 
So now I have a few questions for you SoD.

______________________________________________________

SoD writes: “Everyone knows what this (Denier) word means. It means people who are apologists for those evil jackbooted thugs who carried the swastika and cheered as they sent six million people to their execution.”

– – –
Who says?  By what right?  Unidirectional skepticism equals denial – period. Whether it’s about a historical atrocity or lying about the critically important lessons climate scientists have to teach us.

The Holocaust doesn’t own the “D” word, nor does it have a corner on the dreadful sin of denial in the face of overwhelming evidence! What’s repulsive is the Republican/libertarian machine highjacking the Holocaust to fabricate yet another counter-productive distraction.

INDEX Landscapesandcycles / Mr. Jim Steele

INDEX FOR MY BLOG POSTS RELATING TO MY VIRTUAL DIALOGUE WITH Mr. Jim Steele:

For my introduction link here 

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LandscapesAndCycles blinded by belief - The straight poop on penguins indeed ¶1/6

{touch up edits completed}

The following post reviews the first six paragraphs of an essay written by Mr. Jim Steele: "Blinded by Beliefs:TheStraightPoopOnEmperorPenguins."  The essay grossly misrepresents scientific studies and observations; while unjustly slandering honorable trustworthy scientists.  My intention is to outline it's many errors as rationally as possible, while presenting links to many authoritative sources that offer independent learning opportunities to help you decide.

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LandscapesAndCycles' childish opening shot intentionally trivializes the situation, 

after all penguins have been acclimatized to those harsh weather conditions
and that environment, its food-web, and its seasonal rhythms 
since time immemorial  

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landscapesandcycles.net/resilient-emperor-penguin.html

Blinded by Beliefs: The Straight Poop on Emperor Penguins

  July 1, 2014 {I've added the red highlights}

Adapted from the chapter The Emperor Penguin Has No Clothes in Landscapes & Cycles: An Environmentalist’s Journey to Climate Skepticism by Jim Steele  

{The essay's text is in courier font) 

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The essay starts out by constructing a phony, but dramatic, stage setting.

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¶1  "Two recent press releases concerning the Emperor Penguin’s fate illustrate contrasting forces that will either advance or suppress trustworthy conservation science."

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Think about what's been done with these words.  They artfully imply that there's a struggle going on between a cadre of biased untrustworthy closed minded ('environmentalist'?) scientists and "trustworthy" scientists.  It's pure innuendo with malicious intent, based on misrepresentation, misdirection and ignoring huge swaths of available information.  

Making judgements based on media stories is dishonest.  A serious discussion demands we go to first-hand sources instead of relying on political theater.  Doing so reveals a community of individuals dedicated to learning and understanding.  It is alive with constructive skepticism and honest debate.  With the full scope of available evidence informing the collective state of understanding.

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Embodying that truism is a paper by lead author Dr. Michelle LaRue who reports new advances in reading the Emperor Penguin’s fecal stains on Antarctic sea ice that are visible in satellite pictures. Two years ago the fecal stain method identified several large, hitherto unknown colonies and nearly doubled our estimate of the world’s Emperor Penguins.^1,2 
That didn’t mean climate change had necessarily increased penguin numbers, but a larger more robust population meant Emperor Penguins were far more resilient to any form of change.

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"far more resilient to any form of change."  Nonsense, the study makes no claims about resilience to "any form of change."  

In fact, the LaRue et. al study was about a pioneering method utilizing high resolution satellite imagery to gather a more complete and accurate population count on a continent wide scale.  Dr. LaRue does indeed acknowledge the many developing environmental threats facing penguins.   

What the study means is that some population counts and assumptions need reassessment, but it says nothing about penguin resilience; or the threats they face because of their changing landscape.  Nor does it have anything to say about the 70s population decline around Dumont d’Urville.  Here's what the study actually says {my highlights}:

Jim Steele watts up with your venomous self-indignation?

Dear Jim Steele,

With time to reflect, I'm confused by your display of moral outrage in that January 7th WUWT broadside? Come on, lighten up, you should recognized the Shakespearian overtones and appreciate we were made for each other.  

Besides, it was you who jumped into my lil climate change sparing camp over at SkepticForum back last spring.... you were the big shot daring anyone to dispute your nonsense.  Did you really think I was going to allow your Republican/libertarian "hey no worries, it's all a hoax" challenge to go unanswered?  Then in your IEEE 'climate science horror' series and LandscapesAndCycle you're the one that told folks to check original sources.  Well, I have and I've received responses including many full texts of published studies from:
Dr. Ainley,
Dr. Breckner,
Dr. Fretwell,
Dr. Guillaume,
Dr. Jenouvrier,
Dr. Kaiser,
Dr. Kato,
Dr. La Rue,
Dr. Tate,
with a couple still in the pipeline.  {And that's just for my most recent project reviewing your 7/1/14 "Blinded by Beliefs, Penguin Poop" article.  Due to be posted any day now.}

Be happy!  Here we are, "Citizenschallenge" vs. "LandscapesAndCycles"

You the defending champ of "NoWorries - it's a hoax" 
vs. 
Me the advocate for "Learning about our Global Heat Distribution Engine"  

We've even achieved an audience.  All we need is a good cartoonist to document it.   ;- )  

For the record, I hold no animosity towards you the person Jim Steele, (a fellow child and lover of the Sierra Nevada Mtns), and I don't understand why any needs to be fabricated.

My issue is with the words and memes and nonstop derision poured onto scientists who don't deserve it.  My target is the misrepresentation of the scientific process and published papers and the ignoring of inconvenient facts and observations.  My goal is educational, both my own and anyone else who might be interested.

Please, never forget it's the dishonest claims... those false Republican/libertarian memes you parrot, who are my enemies, not you personally!  I'm simply striving to convince you, and onlookers, of the errors in your words.

Sincerely,
Citizenschallenge

Defamation and lies are unacceptable part of the AGW 'debate' !

There was some big news yesterday that I found fascinating in light of Mr. Jim Steele's 'climate science horror' series along with his January 7th, 2015 WUWT attack article aimed at me - particularly considering San Francisco State University administration's indifference and avoidance of my inquiries about their standards of academic excellence (or lack thereof) and their expectations (or lack thereof) of their teaching staff members regarding fidelity to scientific honesty.

I've asked for and received permission from Carol Linnitt at DeSmogCanada.ca to mirror their informative article and I tip my hat to Sou and HotWhopper for alerting me to this promising development.  It would be nice to think that the days of accepting malicious lies and dirty tricks as an OK part of the public "debate" regarding the all important matter of becoming educated about the state of climate science and Earth observations are numbered.  With a thank you to DeSmogCanada, take it away Carol:

Fri, 2015-02-06 DeSmogCanadaCAROL LINNITT

Climate Scientist Andrew Weaver Wins $50,000 in Defamation Suit Against National Post, Terence Corcoran

The B.C. Supreme Court awarded $50,000 in damages to climate scientist Andrew Weaver in a ruling Friday that confirms articles published by the National Post defamed his character.

The ruling names Terence Corcoran, editor of the Financial Post, Peter Foster, a columnist at the National Post, Kevin Libin, a journalist that contributes to the Financial Post and National Post publisher Gordon Fisher.

Four articles published in 2009 and 2010 refer to Weaver, now MLA for Canada’s Green Party, as an “alarmist” who disseminates “agit-prop” and a “sensationalist” that “cherry-picked” data as “Canada’s warmest spinner-in-chief.” Weaver was previously a lead author on a number of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports.

In the damages section of the ruling (attached below), Madam Justice Emily Burke notes, “the defamation in this case was serious. It offended Dr. Weaver’s character and the defendants refused to publish a retraction.”

Justice Burke concluded the defendants “have been careless or indifferent to the accuracy of the facts,” adding, “they were more interested in espousing a particular view than assessing the accuracy of the facts.”

possessed by the idea of catastrophic climate change?

My "LandscapesAndCycles Penguin Poop (7/1/14)" critique project keeps stretching out.  The price of taking Mr. Steele's advice and going to first sources with my questions.  But, it's a small price indeed considering the many responses and scientific papers I've been receiving and reading, nearly 50 at last count. 

I keep getting closer, but it's still not ready for posting, though I did make it down to the final paragraph today which is such a text book example of deception, and of the ruthless disregard for the civility our man Steele professes and expects of others, that I decided it deserves it's own write up.  

"¶19  "... despite the lack of any warming trend what so ever, the scientific literature is spammed and the public bombarded with more propaganda claiming climate change has put penguins in peril. ... Robert Bolton wrote, “A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses; it is an idea that possesses the mind” and catastrophic climate change is tragically possessing too many minds."" 

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As for the "lack of warming trend whatsoever" 

this video puts the big picture into perspective, 

followed by links that put the Antarctic situation into perspective,
followed by a look at this CAGW that's "possessing minds".

ClimateCentral.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1J09xL0NGQ

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