What do you think of this blackmailing?

Question

I was pretty surprising to find this on the Internet. It shows how ridiculous some of these AGW debates are getting:

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=04373015-802A-23AD-4BF9-C3F02278F4CF

What are your thoughts?

Note: I don't want this to turn into an argument about whether the AGW theory is true or not.

Answer 1

My thoughts are that this is simply a press release from a staffer for Inhofe.

Just another of Mark Morano's feeble attempts to cast doubts on global warming, by raising an inconsequential event.

How exactly, does this bear on the proven scientific fact of global warming?  What does the author of the alleged email have to do with scientific research?  What effect do you think it will have, except on right wing blogs?

Answer 2

Scientists have to be scrupulously honest or risk being exposed as frauds.

It is best that anyone proposing to expose someone with a stake in science should inform that person of their intention to do so, even to point out the effect of that exposure on the person's career.

The person who is challenging the integrity of a person of science should not do so in terms of a group, unless that group has discussed and approved this course of action.

If the person accused of science fraud wishes to defend the statements made, it will not be seen as blackmail so much as an opportunity to be vindicated. Well, perhaps that is too idealized. We know that over history the whole of the science community has held to dogma on occasion.

But it is certainly best to let people know they have a fraud trial coming.

Answer 3

Science is a process of hypothesis, evidence, and evaluation.  It is saddening that Global Warming has become so politicized.  There is a considerable lack of knowledge on the topic.  There is such a huge lack, that to describe any scientist on any side of the debate as a "liar", is simply wrong.

On the political front of GW, there are certainly liars, zealots, and scare mongers.  I would describe Eckhart as a political advocate, more than a scientist, and I would look at this letter as nothing more that a "political" action.

I do want to reiterate, there is a scientific debate and learning process which I have participated in, and there is a political "debate" which is loaded with misinformation and a lack of knowledge.  On the scientific side, we are generally civil, and people change their outlooks as new knowledge is gain through scientific study.  On the political side, people spam out any BS they want which fits their agendas, while throwing tantrums like little children.  It really is unfortunate that Global Warming has become so political and hot-button.

Answer 4

I'm sure you were surprised...

Here is the real science...

http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/clim...

References...

Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States (2008)

Analysis of Global Change Assessments: Lessons Learned (2007)

Colorado River Basin Water Management: Evaluating and Adjusting to Hydroclimatic Variability (2007)

Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond (2007)

Evaluating Progress of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (2007)

Research and Networks for Decision Support in the NOAA Sectoral Applications Research Program (2007)

Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2000 Years (2006)

Toward an Integrated Arctic Observing Network (2006)

Earth Science and Applications from Space: Urgent Needs and Opportunities to Serve the Nation (2005)

Population, Land Use, and the Environment (2005)

Radiative Forcing of Climate Change: Expanding the Concept and Addressing Uncertainties (2005)

Thinking Strategically: The Appropriate Use of Metrics for the Climate Change Science Program (2005)

A Vision for the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (2004)

Climate Data Records from Environmental Satellites (2004)

The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers and R&D Needs (2004)

Implementing Climate and Global Change Research: A Review of the Final U.S. Climate Change Science

Program Strategic Plan (2004)

Novel Approaches to Carbon Management: Separation, Capture, Sequestration, and Conversion to Useful

Products (2003)

Planning Climate and Global Change Research: A Review of the Draft U.S. Climate Change Science

Program Strategic Plan (2003)

Understanding Climate Change Feedbacks (2003)

Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises (2002)

Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards (2002)

A Climate Services Vision: First Steps Towards the Future (2001)

Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions (2001)

Energy Research at DOE: Was It Worth It? Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy Research

from 1978 to 2000 (2001)

Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Climate Modeling (2001)

Under the Weather: Climate, Ecosystems, and Infectious Disease (2001)

Making Climate Forecasts Matter (1999)

Global Environmental Change: Understanding the Human Dimension (1992)

Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming: Mitigation, Adaptation, and the Science Base (1992)