The Mushroom Cloud That Wasn't

“This is not a smoking gun; this is a mushroom cloud.” - Patrick J. Michaels, Climatologist

Well, we see what has become of that "mushroom cloud". The reaction of the people who have been humiliated by the release of the hacked emails has been one of utter defiance, bolstered by American network "news" outlets' refusal to cover the story. It is ironic that ABC Television News presented an hour-long, prime time infomercial for Obama to gush about the looming threat of global warming, but now that there is evidence of the grand hoax, the best the station can offer is a gigantic yawn.

In a climate (pardon the pun) of bleak economic prospects for the news industry, such a bombshell would presumably have been seized upon like a bounty by the hands of the hungry. The silence of the big three networks is akin to a starving person refusing food, however, and one must wonder just what it is that would be so important as to turn down sustenance. The only conclusion must be that of a greater reward.

The closest ABC got to even mentioning the scandal was on George Stephanopoulos' The Roundtable, on which George Will reminded us that the science is not settled. But the the New York Times Paul Krugman swung into defensive denial of the scandal. He said , "All those e-mails, people have never seen what academic discussion looks like, there's not a single smoking gun in there, there's nothing in there...". I may not have ever seen what academic discussion looks like, but I do know chicanery when I see it.

Here is an excerpt from a Phil Jones email. See if it resembles "academic discussion" to you. (emphasis mine).

At 09:41 AM 2/2/2005, Phil Jones wrote:

Mike,
I presume congratulations are in order - so congrats etc !
Just sent loads of station data to Scott. Make sure he documents everything better this time ! And don't leave stuff lying around on ftp sites - you never know who is trawling them. The two MMs have been after the CRU station data for years. If they ever hear there is a Freedom of Information Act now in the UK, I think I'll delete the file rather than send to anyone.

Does your similar act in the US force you to respond to enquiries within 20 days? - our does! The UK works on precedents, so the first request will test it. We also have a data protection act, which I will hide behind. Tom Wigley has sent me a worried email when he heard about it - thought people could ask him for his model code. He has retired officially from UEA so he can hide behind that.

Perhaps Mr. Krugman is unacquainted with incrimination and sees it instead as academic discussion.

Of course, many people are not even aware of these shenanigans because they rely heavily on network news for their information, and the networks - for whatever motive - simply will not report any truth that hurts their liberal agenda. Then they will vehemently deny any such agenda exists.

Meanwhile, the political leaders and their minions march ever onward toward Copenhagen where they hope to finally clamp the economic shackles on our wrists and ankles, praying that the networks can hold the floodgates closed long enough the secure their success. And just to add a bit of twisted irony to the trip, these fools will leave a carbon foot print the size of the Hiroshima bomb. (OK, so I made up the bit about Hiroshima, but you get the point).

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