No doubt readers of this blog are getting their fill of the big Wikileaks story elsewhere. But I can’t resist linking to this smart post by Stephen Budiansky, a writer I’ve been familiar with for a long time. He offers a measured perspective that is critical of both “excessive secrecy” by the U.S. government and…Continue Reading…
Paul Kelly tries talking sense to the all-or-nothing crowd over at Bart’s place. The usual suspects snarl and prance. The bloggy dialogue is set up by this op-ed in yesterday’s NYT, which Kelly refers to as a good example of effective science communication. It would be interesting to hear from climate scientists if they agree….Continue Reading…
Matt Welch at Hit & Run has some fun, too.
That’s what a certain organization is trying to urge with this controversial billboard outside Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey. I’m all for “celebrating reason,” but picking on Santa Claus to make your point? Then again, the target audience appears to be people who are secretive not only to their friends and family, but maybe even…Continue Reading…
This is the second post of what will be a three part series on the terminology used in the climate debate to define individuals and groups of people that share a common position. The first post surveyed responses from science and environmental writers on two common terms used in the climate debate: “skeptic” and “denier.”…Continue Reading…
I was struck by this news article in the Guardian yesterday, which gushes over the new Climate Science Rapid Response Team (my emphasis): the three scientists behind the project ““ John Abraham, Scott Mandia, and Ray Weymann ““ have come off almost as climate science super heroes, which in a sense they are. Wow, move…Continue Reading…
Utility executives that had favored the failed cap & trade bill in Congress are moving on, reports the WSJ: In a blueprint released last week, Exelon executives said their 13-state region could achieve reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions nearly equal to what federal legislation might have achieved in the next decade by pressing ahead with activities…Continue Reading…
My struggle to distinguish between a “climate skeptic” and “climate denier” continues. In July, I sought some clarity on these terms, which triggered over 500 comments and little agreement on an acceptable distinction between the two labels. That should come as no surprise. Do you know any climate skeptics who are fine with being called…Continue Reading…
Jon Stewart is obviously striking a nerve. Last week, he rankled liberals. This week, the top exec at Fox News unloads on Stewart: He hates conservative views. He hates conservative thoughts. He hates conservative verbiage. He hates conservatives…He’s crazy. If it wasn’t polarized, he couldn’t make a living. He makes a living by attacking conservatives…Continue Reading…
That’s what David Rothkopf is bemoaning here in Foreign Policy and it’s what outgoing Republican congressman Bob Ingliss is warning about in his comments yesterday at the House Subcommittee hearing on climate change. Rothkopf, perhaps reminded of this movie (that was awful but also dead-on), offers his own metaphor for the virus overtaking parts of…Continue Reading…