Plato would like to thank Andy Cook for this great layman's guide to what Labour has done to our economy.
"As the conversation has wandered around budgets, spending and deficits, I thought I’d try to get the real scale of the problem. After all, the expenditure sounds big, but to a budget the size of the Government's, it’s probably comparable to a packet of fags for a family budget.
So, scaling to about a “family of four” size (very loosely defined as “divide Budget by 15 million” and rounding off):
Monthly (take home) income has gone from about £2950 in 2005/6 to £3000 in 06/07, £3100 in 07/08 and dropped back to about £2950 in 08/09. Forecast is for £2750 in 09/10, before climbing back to £2950 in 10/11.
Monthly outgoings have gone from about £3150 in 2005/6 to £3200 in 06/7, £3300 in 07/8 and up to £3500 in 08/09.
Forecast is for £3750 in 09/10 and up to £3900 in 10/11
Or to put it another way, whilst we were in the good times, our family wasn’t able to live within its means, spending a couple of hundred quid per month more than we earned. And now, with income badly hit, we’re spending more. Up to £1000 borrowed per month to make ends meet. That’s not good.
Our combined overdraft, loans and credit card bill (not paid off) has climbed from £32 500 in 05/06 to £49 500 in 08/09. By the end of the 09/10 FY, we’ll owe £64 000. This will climb by at least £10 000 per year for at least the next 2 years.
On this scale, we’re spending just over £200 per month on defence, £650 on health, £500 on education, £180 or so on “public order” (cops?), nearly as much on interest on our debts (£170 - fortunately we’re benefiting from the drop in interest rates) and over £1000 on welfare. Oh, and about £57 on the environment and £17 on science/technology.
Income tax and NI between them bring in over £1300 of our monthly income. VAT plus excise duties are over £600. Business rates and corporation tax amount to £320. IHT is £12."
And if you want to see how big a trillion is - try this. The UK debt is currently enormous
Hmm - now does the nightmare that is Labour's credit card start to make sense?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Embarrassing Predictions No. 94
Check out the comment at the end of the article
[Ed, see bottom of this post].
[Ed, see bottom of this post].
"Britain's winter ends tomorrow with further indications of a striking environmental change: snow is starting to disappear from our lives.
...However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event".
"Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.
The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said...
...David Parker, at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in Berkshire, says ultimately, British children could have only virtual experience of snow. Via the internet, they might wonder at polar scenes - or eventually "feel" virtual cold."
Comment...
"Calling Charles Onians
alexjc38 wrote: Sunday, 27 December 2009 at 09:53 pm (UTC)
Hello? Charles Onians in 2000? Don't ask me to explain but I'm posting this back to you via a time warp from December 2009. Yes, the future! You probably won't believe me and will think I'm mad or joking, but get this. Britain is suffering its second extremely cold winter in a row - we have enough snow, ice, frost and freezing fog to cobble dogs with (whatever that means.) Far from being "a very rare and exciting event", snowfall has become a major hazard in this country twice this past year - and we haven't even got to February 2010 yet. Also (again you will probably think I'm joking) but the CRU has just become a liability to climate science - leaked e-mails and files have revealed a web of deceit and manipulation that threatens to undermine the theory of Anthropogenic Global Warming itself. I urge you to pull this article immediately, as it will become a laughing stock in years to come. Charles? Hello? Hello? ... Rats, I'm probably too late. "
"Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.
The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said...
...David Parker, at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in Berkshire, says ultimately, British children could have only virtual experience of snow. Via the internet, they might wonder at polar scenes - or eventually "feel" virtual cold."
Comment...
"Calling Charles Onians
alexjc38 wrote: Sunday, 27 December 2009 at 09:53 pm (UTC)
Hello? Charles Onians in 2000? Don't ask me to explain but I'm posting this back to you via a time warp from December 2009. Yes, the future! You probably won't believe me and will think I'm mad or joking, but get this. Britain is suffering its second extremely cold winter in a row - we have enough snow, ice, frost and freezing fog to cobble dogs with (whatever that means.) Far from being "a very rare and exciting event", snowfall has become a major hazard in this country twice this past year - and we haven't even got to February 2010 yet. Also (again you will probably think I'm joking) but the CRU has just become a liability to climate science - leaked e-mails and files have revealed a web of deceit and manipulation that threatens to undermine the theory of Anthropogenic Global Warming itself. I urge you to pull this article immediately, as it will become a laughing stock in years to come. Charles? Hello? Hello? ... Rats, I'm probably too late. "
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Terrible cracker jokes
Terrible cracker jokes:
Did you hear about the two ships that collided at sea? One was carrying red paint and the other was carrying blue paint. All the sailors ended up being marooned.
What did the fish say when it swam into a wall?
Dam.
What athlete is warmest in winter?
A long jumper.
Why are chocolate buttons rude?
Because they are Smarties in the nude.
How does Bob Marley like his doughnuts?
Wi’ Jammin
What does Bob Marley say to his friends when he buys doughnuts?
Hope you like Jammin too.
How do you make a tissue dance?
Put a boogie in it.
What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?
Nothing. It just let out a little wine.
Why did the man get the sack from the orange juice factory?
Because he couldn’t concentrate.
What did the inflatable teacher at the inflatable school say to the inflatable child caught holding a pin?
You let me down, you let your friends down, you let your school down but most of all… you let yourself down.
What’s ET short for?
Because he’s only got little legs.
And if you've too much time on your hands today or just love festive trivia - here's the history of the Great British cracker
UPDATE - Plato has just seen this on PoliticalBetting - brilliantly terrible
"A Brummie goes for a job interview wearing a polyester shirt, bright flares and big boots. The interviewer says “All you need now is a kipper tie.” The Brummie replies, “That would be love-lay, two sugars, ploise.”
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Scaring small people No. 94
Plato thought Labour's Bedtime Stories were pretty low kiddy propaganda, but no - when it comes to scaring small children, AGWers once again move the ethical limbo bar down another notch.
Try this:
According to Maura Flynn over a Big Government...
"Attention Santas:
This missive is directed at the guardians of, and donors to, tiny humans. If you fall into that category you likely are already familiar with Build-A-Bear, a world-wide corporation that provides the most innocent of services. They sell customizable stuffed animals. Make your own bear, dog…penguin. Cute concept.
So cute, in fact, that the Build-A-Bear empire sweeps across nearly every state and into 17 other countries. You’ll find their outlets in shopping malls everywhere and even some ballparks. The company also has a website called Build-A-Bearville.com where children can play an interactive video game that, on it’s surface, is unlikely to raise suspicion or sound alarms.
But when your unsuspecting tot logs on and hops a virtual train to the North Pole…you should know that he or she will be informed — by Santa Claus — that Christmas may be canceled this year due to Global Warming. Below is part two of the 3-part video...
Try this:
According to Maura Flynn over a Big Government...
"Attention Santas:
This missive is directed at the guardians of, and donors to, tiny humans. If you fall into that category you likely are already familiar with Build-A-Bear, a world-wide corporation that provides the most innocent of services. They sell customizable stuffed animals. Make your own bear, dog…penguin. Cute concept.
So cute, in fact, that the Build-A-Bear empire sweeps across nearly every state and into 17 other countries. You’ll find their outlets in shopping malls everywhere and even some ballparks. The company also has a website called Build-A-Bearville.com where children can play an interactive video game that, on it’s surface, is unlikely to raise suspicion or sound alarms.
But when your unsuspecting tot logs on and hops a virtual train to the North Pole…you should know that he or she will be informed — by Santa Claus — that Christmas may be canceled this year due to Global Warming. Below is part two of the 3-part video...
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Are the BBC inching away from AGW absolutism?
Plato would like to thank BishopsHill for drawing her attention to this programme on BBC Radio 4.
"Edward Stourton tries to make sense of a decade in which history has been put on fast forward. There has been a revolution in the way we communicate, widespread alarm about the planet's very survival and a challenge to the world order. What does it mean for the way we live as we head into 2010?
Back in the year 2000, the world's leaders didn't seem to be troubled by the notion of global warming, so what has changed?"
It is certainly less 'settled science' than some of their other output since Climategate broke. Worth listening to.
Here's the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00pcd3z
If someone knows how to stick this on YouTube, she'd be delighted.
"Edward Stourton tries to make sense of a decade in which history has been put on fast forward. There has been a revolution in the way we communicate, widespread alarm about the planet's very survival and a challenge to the world order. What does it mean for the way we live as we head into 2010?
Back in the year 2000, the world's leaders didn't seem to be troubled by the notion of global warming, so what has changed?"
It is certainly less 'settled science' than some of their other output since Climategate broke. Worth listening to.
Here's the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00pcd3z
If someone knows how to stick this on YouTube, she'd be delighted.
Hostage Video
Given that Our Glorious Leader has clearly been kidnapped by polar bears with Greenpeace subscriptions, Plato thought her readers would like to see an example of the technical excellence that resides in Number 10.
Whoever was responsible for this deserves a medal - I didn't think it was possible to top Gordon's Expenses YouTube effort - this however is quite remarkably bad.
Is Andy Coulson advising them?
Whoever was responsible for this deserves a medal - I didn't think it was possible to top Gordon's Expenses YouTube effort - this however is quite remarkably bad.
Is Andy Coulson advising them?
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sceptical sense of humour
Andrew Bolt posts...
"Phelim McAleer, maker of the brilliant documentary Not Evil Just Wrong, scours Copenhagen for Phil Jones, the most infamous of the Climategate scientists. If he doesn’t find Jones, he sure finds the mindset that both produced and protects him."
The bit with Ed Miliband is rather amusing.
"Phelim McAleer, maker of the brilliant documentary Not Evil Just Wrong, scours Copenhagen for Phil Jones, the most infamous of the Climategate scientists. If he doesn’t find Jones, he sure finds the mindset that both produced and protects him."
The bit with Ed Miliband is rather amusing.
Back to the Future
Did you ever wonder how long the controversy over 'global warming' has been raging?
Plato found this documentary earlier today and thought her readers would enjoy it - and be livid that it's been ignored for so long. It was shown on Aus TV and Channel 4 in the UK.
America's PSB refused to show it because it was 'biased'. Oh for such lack of bias in MSM coverage in the last 20 yrs since this was broadcast. If you are short if time and want to see a killer segment - wind forward to about 40mins. Prf Wigley [of Climategate fame] is quizzed on funding - it is very revealing. Remember this is 1990 - the CRU have had at least £12m since then.
Finding this has made Plato's birthday!
Please re-blog this and make my day :D
Plato found this documentary earlier today and thought her readers would enjoy it - and be livid that it's been ignored for so long. It was shown on Aus TV and Channel 4 in the UK.
America's PSB refused to show it because it was 'biased'. Oh for such lack of bias in MSM coverage in the last 20 yrs since this was broadcast. If you are short if time and want to see a killer segment - wind forward to about 40mins. Prf Wigley [of Climategate fame] is quizzed on funding - it is very revealing. Remember this is 1990 - the CRU have had at least £12m since then.
Finding this has made Plato's birthday!
Please re-blog this and make my day :D
Friday, December 18, 2009
Crikey - Monckton pens a letter to Pachauri
Ouch and double ouch
Family First Senator Steve Fielding and Lord Monckton demand answers from Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - and not just over his use of dodgy data:
"...We should be grateful for your response within 48 hours, failing which we shall be entitled to presume that you, the IPCC and the EPA – to whose administrator we are copying this letter – intend to conspire, and are conspiring, to obtain a pecuniary advantage by deceiving the public as to the nature, degree, and significance of the global surface temperature trend. In that event, conspiracy to defraud taxpayers would be evident, and we should be compelled to place this letter in the hands of the relevant investigating and prosecuting authorities.
In any event, errors and exaggerations such as that which is evidenced in the IPCC’s defective graph do not inspire confidence in the reliability of the IPCC’s scientific case. Given this and other mistakes that an international body of this nature ought not to have made, and given your numerous and direct conflicts of interest that have, in our opinion, been insufficiently disclosed, we are also copying this letter to the delegations of the states parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change with a request that you be stripped of office forthwith..."
Read the whole thing here
Ouch.
Family First Senator Steve Fielding and Lord Monckton demand answers from Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - and not just over his use of dodgy data:
"...We should be grateful for your response within 48 hours, failing which we shall be entitled to presume that you, the IPCC and the EPA – to whose administrator we are copying this letter – intend to conspire, and are conspiring, to obtain a pecuniary advantage by deceiving the public as to the nature, degree, and significance of the global surface temperature trend. In that event, conspiracy to defraud taxpayers would be evident, and we should be compelled to place this letter in the hands of the relevant investigating and prosecuting authorities.
In any event, errors and exaggerations such as that which is evidenced in the IPCC’s defective graph do not inspire confidence in the reliability of the IPCC’s scientific case. Given this and other mistakes that an international body of this nature ought not to have made, and given your numerous and direct conflicts of interest that have, in our opinion, been insufficiently disclosed, we are also copying this letter to the delegations of the states parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change with a request that you be stripped of office forthwith..."
Read the whole thing here
Ouch.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Canadian MSM break ranks
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Give scientists more power
Plato's attention has been drawn to this little interview with Sir David King [ former Chief Government Adviser].
He wants a climate scientist to sit on the Bank of England's Monitory Policy Committee. What a stupid idea - even if we were all going to be fried to death, what possible logic is there to have someone like this advising on interest rates?
I wonder who he has in mind? The Head of the IPCC perhaps who appears to have an interesting conflict of interest or several. Or Prf Phil Jones of the infamous CRU, or Prf Andrew "Arsehole" Watson? Or any of the most prominent people who seem to have a loose relationship with established scientific best practice.
Mr King claims that there is no dissent or disagreement over global warming - the presenter was rather surprised to hear that!
Starts 1:53:00 in - it is on iPlayer so may not be available outside the UK. It will expire in 7 days.
He wants a climate scientist to sit on the Bank of England's Monitory Policy Committee. What a stupid idea - even if we were all going to be fried to death, what possible logic is there to have someone like this advising on interest rates?
I wonder who he has in mind? The Head of the IPCC perhaps who appears to have an interesting conflict of interest or several. Or Prf Phil Jones of the infamous CRU, or Prf Andrew "Arsehole" Watson? Or any of the most prominent people who seem to have a loose relationship with established scientific best practice.
Mr King claims that there is no dissent or disagreement over global warming - the presenter was rather surprised to hear that!
Starts 1:53:00 in - it is on iPlayer so may not be available outside the UK. It will expire in 7 days.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Google Paranoia? Have a read.
Plato has - like many others - noticed that Google's response to Climategate appears somewhat strange.
A micro media story appears within hours as an 'auto-suggest' option, yet after 3 weeks of wall-to-wall interest, Climategate stopped appearing within the first few days.
The hit counter is also in reverse - now that does seem rather odd doesn't it - it peaked to Plato's knowledge at around 33m, a minute ago it was returning this :
"Results 1 - 10 of about 22,300,000 for climategate. (0.10 seconds)"
So, is this some bizarre statistical quirk or an Algoreithm?
Well, Al Gore is a senior advisor to Google...and Google are all snuggled up with green energy and Copenhagen...
Here's what the Google forums thread has to say on the subject - their readers aren't convinced.
A micro media story appears within hours as an 'auto-suggest' option, yet after 3 weeks of wall-to-wall interest, Climategate stopped appearing within the first few days.
The hit counter is also in reverse - now that does seem rather odd doesn't it - it peaked to Plato's knowledge at around 33m, a minute ago it was returning this :
"Results 1 - 10 of about 22,300,000 for climategate. (0.10 seconds)"
So, is this some bizarre statistical quirk or an Algoreithm?
Well, Al Gore is a senior advisor to Google...and Google are all snuggled up with green energy and Copenhagen...
Here's what the Google forums thread has to say on the subject - their readers aren't convinced.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Brrr - isn't it cold outside
If you have a minute or two to spare, this is a rather amusing comparison of media coverage from the 70s - when we were all going to freeze to death.
And those who believe in AGW wonder why 50% of the population are sceptical about it...
Plato, still has vivid memories of a very popular BBC sit-com [Dick Emery Show] where the main characters were buying ski clothes. If you can find a clip of this, she'd be delighted.
And those who believe in AGW wonder why 50% of the population are sceptical about it...
Plato, still has vivid memories of a very popular BBC sit-com [Dick Emery Show] where the main characters were buying ski clothes. If you can find a clip of this, she'd be delighted.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
How to frame an argument using graphs
And here's a bit more info to explain ice-core science - layman friendly
Please note - the second video is dated 2007, therefore well before the Climategate scandal.
New element discovered - Governmentium
The discovery of the heaviest chemical element yet known to science. The new element has been tentatively named Governmentium.
Governmentium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it w ould normally take less than a second.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.
hat-tip to WattsUpWithThat archives as spotted by Leon Brozyna.
Governmentium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it w ould normally take less than a second.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.
hat-tip to WattsUpWithThat archives as spotted by Leon Brozyna.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Case book PR blunder
Unless you are a sad Google watcher such as Plato, you probably won't have tripped across this article:
"...The failure of the University of East Anglia to respond substantially to the avalanche of invective from climate skeptics has been a PR disaster that undermined the reputation of science as well as the institution itself. One angry media insider says: “Their response will be taught in university communications courses. Because I’m going to make sure it is.” The university’s failure for a full fortnight to put up a single scientist to defend Phil Jones amounted to cruelty..."
Yup.
"...The failure of the University of East Anglia to respond substantially to the avalanche of invective from climate skeptics has been a PR disaster that undermined the reputation of science as well as the institution itself. One angry media insider says: “Their response will be taught in university communications courses. Because I’m going to make sure it is.” The university’s failure for a full fortnight to put up a single scientist to defend Phil Jones amounted to cruelty..."
Yup.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tell the Met Office what you think...
Plato will keep this really short.
Here is the email address of the Chief Scientist of the Met Office here in the UK.
mailto:julia.slingo@metoffice.gov.uk
Tell her what you think about Climategate and the chain letter she has promoted that appears to pre-empt the investigation into the CRU's antics
Here is the email address of the Chief Scientist of the Met Office here in the UK.
mailto:julia.slingo@metoffice.gov.uk
Tell her what you think about Climategate and the chain letter she has promoted that appears to pre-empt the investigation into the CRU's antics
How to look guilty No. 94
Plato may not be Max Clifford when it comes to PR - but the Met Office appear to have the same media advisers as the University of East Anglia.
On Sunday, two bright sparks [who appear to also be the Met's Chief Executive and Chief Scientist] decided to start a petition extolling the virtues of climate scientists...
“to defend our profession against this unprecedented attack to discredit us and the science of climate change”. They asked them to forward the petition to colleagues to generate support “for a simple statement that we . . . have the utmost confidence in the science base that underpins the evidence for global warming”.
They decided to spam 70 colleagues with this little bit of strong-arming and encouraged the recipients to pass it around their friends. [No pressure or self-interest there then, Ed.]
Now, is it just me - or does that smack of rather desperate people doing exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time?
What are these people thinking of? There is a massive scandal emerging - it's clocking over 30m hits on Google and what do they do? Circle the wagons.
So far, Plato has seen one of the funniest TV interviews with Prf Andrew Watson on Newsnight call another guest an 'arsehole' shortly after conspiciously rolling his eyes and telling said guest to 'stop shouting' and to 'shut up'.
And then there's the desperate press coverage - which is either damning, or if supportive of the CRU - is subsequently drowned in criticism by readers.
We've also had some brilliant statements too - such as the admission by Prf Phil Jones, that the CRU didn't have the data as it'd been thrown out.
There is a time to be quiet, reflect on the issues and learn from it. The AGW proponents appear to still be stuck in the 'denial' phase - how ironic...
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Venal, secretive, sloppy environmentalists - staff at the CRU
Plato thought she was imaging things when she read this quote from the well respected Richard Tol, who writes on climate science for the Irish Times.
"Insiders have long known that some CRU staff were venal, secretive, and sloppy environmentalists.
The CRU specialises in collating data from other institutes and repackaging it. Their main product, an estimate of the global mean surface air temperature from 1850 to 2009, is primarily used to explain climate change to the public..."
Now - just look at what he has managed to say in three sentences - motivation to push an ideological agenda, and a reason to spin their product to win more business by gaining political advantage. It's like a McBride moment.
For reference - a definition of venal:
a. Open to bribery; mercenary: a venal police officer.
b. Capable of betraying honor, duty, or scruples for a price; corruptible.
2. Marked by corrupt dealings, especially bribery: a venal administration.
3. Obtainable for a price.
Read the whole piece here - he gets a terrible kicking in the comments - its clearly open-season on pro-AGW journalists these days [not before time, Ed.]
UPDATE - please read Richard Tol's response in the comments
"Insiders have long known that some CRU staff were venal, secretive, and sloppy environmentalists.
The CRU specialises in collating data from other institutes and repackaging it. Their main product, an estimate of the global mean surface air temperature from 1850 to 2009, is primarily used to explain climate change to the public..."
Now - just look at what he has managed to say in three sentences - motivation to push an ideological agenda, and a reason to spin their product to win more business by gaining political advantage. It's like a McBride moment.
For reference - a definition of venal:
a. Open to bribery; mercenary: a venal police officer.
b. Capable of betraying honor, duty, or scruples for a price; corruptible.
2. Marked by corrupt dealings, especially bribery: a venal administration.
3. Obtainable for a price.
Read the whole piece here - he gets a terrible kicking in the comments - its clearly open-season on pro-AGW journalists these days [not before time, Ed.]
UPDATE - please read Richard Tol's response in the comments
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Another fly in the Climategate ointment
Oh dear, oh dear..
If you thought that the funny business going on at the Climate Research Unit at the UEA was an isolated incident...
Readers will probably still be laughing at Professor Phil Jones' statement that the CRU no longer had their 'raw' data but had 'value added' data instead.
You've probably also heard that the CRU data is only one of three or four sets of temperature records, so there's no story here, move along now.
Unfortunately - someone has been cooking the books in a rather cack-handed way...here's a taster of an excellent unpicking of the data for Australia
"...YIKES! Before getting homogenized [cooked], temperatures in Darwin were falling at 0.7 Celcius per century … but after the homogenization, they were warming at 1.2 Celcius per century. And the adjustment that they made was over two degrees per century … when those guys “adjust”, they don’t mess around. And the adjustment is an odd shape, with the adjustment first going stepwise, then climbing roughly to stop at 2.4C...
If you thought that the funny business going on at the Climate Research Unit at the UEA was an isolated incident...
Readers will probably still be laughing at Professor Phil Jones' statement that the CRU no longer had their 'raw' data but had 'value added' data instead.
You've probably also heard that the CRU data is only one of three or four sets of temperature records, so there's no story here, move along now.
Unfortunately - someone has been cooking the books in a rather cack-handed way...here's a taster of an excellent unpicking of the data for Australia
"...YIKES! Before getting homogenized [cooked], temperatures in Darwin were falling at 0.7 Celcius per century … but after the homogenization, they were warming at 1.2 Celcius per century. And the adjustment that they made was over two degrees per century … when those guys “adjust”, they don’t mess around. And the adjustment is an odd shape, with the adjustment first going stepwise, then climbing roughly to stop at 2.4C...
...Yikes again, double yikes! What on earth justifies that adjustment? How can they do that? We have five different records covering Darwin from 1941 on. They all agree almost exactly. Why adjust them at all? They’ve just added a huge artificial totally imaginary trend to the last half of the raw data! Now it looks like the IPCC diagram in Figure 1, all right … but a six degree per century trend? And in the shape of a regular stepped pyramid climbing to heaven? What’s up with that?..."
Read the whole analysis here - well worth it and don't worry if you're not a science geek - anyone who's ever read a thermometer and has eyes can see what is going on.
Read the whole analysis here - well worth it and don't worry if you're not a science geek - anyone who's ever read a thermometer and has eyes can see what is going on.
As the author concludes: "Those, dear friends, are the clumsy fingerprints of someone messing with the data Egyptian style … they are indisputable evidence that the “homogenized” data has been changed to fit someone’s preconceptions about whether the earth is warming..."
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
OMG! More polar bears!
What is it with greenies and their alarmist and frankly totally untrue advertising lies?
Now Plato has a real soft-spot for old polies, she has several cuddly ones in her anthropomorphic soft toy collection, however...
Polar bears are not facing any form of EXTINCTION risk.
They've survived for at least 10 000 yrs despite the Medieval Warming Period when Vikings grew wheat in Greenland [yup that place knee-deep in snow most of the year now] and monks and Romans grew vines nr the Scottish border.
She really does find greenie propaganda very disturbing - Plato thought for quite a long time that greenies were just a bit hair-shirty and did no harm/genuinely believed in their cause.
She's changed her mind - it's politically motivated, no scruples behaviour masquerading as a noble intent.
Isn't that depressing?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Global warming causes...
Hmm. Ever got the feeling that the AGW bandwagon was more like a gravy train?
Well, you could be right - here's a little list of subjects put forward by pressure groups, PR rampers and special interest organisations that are playing in the greeny funding space:
A complete list of things caused by global warming
Acne, agricultural land increase, Afghan poppies destroyed, poppies more potent, Africa devastated, Africa in conflict, African aid threatened, African summer frost, aggressive weeds, Air France crash, air pressure changes, airport malaria, Agulhas current, Al Qaeda and Taliban Being Helped, allergy season longer, alligators in the Thames, Alps melting, Amazon a desert, American dream end, amphibians breeding earlier (or not), anaphylactic reactions to bee stings, ancient forests dramatically changed, animals head for the hills, animals shrink, Antarctic grass flourishes, Antarctic ice grows, Antarctic ice shrinks, Antarctic sea life at risk, anxiety treatment, algal blooms, archaeological sites threatened, Arctic bogs melt, Arctic in bloom, Arctic ice free, Arctic ice melt faster, Arctic lakes disappear, Arctic warming (not), asthma, Atlantic less salty, Atlantic more salty, atmospheric circulation modified, attack of the killer jellyfish, avalanches reduced, avalanches increased, Baghdad snow, Bahrain under water, bananas grow, barbarisation, beer and bread prices to soar, beer better, beer worse, beetle infestation, bet for $10,000, big melt faster, billion dollar research projects, billion homeless, billions face risk, billions of deaths, bird distributions change, bird loss accelerating, bird strikes, bird visitors drop, birds confused, birds decline (Wales), birds driven north, birds face longer migrations, birds return early, birds shrink, bittern boom ends, blackbirds stop singing, blackbirds threatened, Black Hawk down, blood contaminated, blue mussels return, bluetongue, brain eating amoebae, brains shrink, bridge collapse (Minneapolis), Britain one big city, Britain Siberian, British monsoon, brothels struggle, brown Ireland, bubonic plague, budget increases, Buddhist temple threatened, building collapse, building season extension, bushfires, butterflies move north, carbon crimes, camel deaths, cancer deaths in England, cannibalism, caterpillar biomass shift, cave paintings threatened, childhood insomnia, Cholera, circumcision in decline, cirrus disappearance, civil unrest, cloud increase, coast beauty spots lost, cockroach migration, cod go south, coffee threatened, coffee berry borer, cold climate creatures survive, cold spells (Australia), cold wave (India), computer models, conferences, conflict, conflict with Russia, consumers foot the bill, coral bleaching, coral fish suffer, coral reefs dying, coral reefs grow, coral reefs shrink , coral reefs twilight, cost of trillions, cougar attacks, crabgrass menace, cradle of civilisation threatened, creatures move uphill, crime increase, crocodile sex, crops devastated, crumbling roads, buildings and sewage systems, curriculum change, cyclones (Australia), danger to kid's health, Darfur, Dartford Warbler plague, deadly virus outbreaks, death rate increase (US), deaths to reach 6 million, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, depression, desert advance, desert retreat, destruction of the environment, dig sites threatened, disasters, diseases move north, dog disease, Dolomites collapse, dozen deadly diseases - or not, drought, ducks and geese decline, dust bowl in the corn belt, earlier pollen season, Earth axis tilt, Earth biodiversity crisis, Earth dying, Earth even hotter, Earth light dimming, Earth lopsided, Earth melting, Earth morbid fever, Earth on fast track, Earth past point of no return, Earth slowing down, Earth spins faster, Earth to explode, earth upside down, earthquakes, earthquakes redux, El Niño intensification, end of the world as we know it, erosion, emerging infections, encephalitis, English villages lost, equality threatened, Europe simultaneously baking and freezing, eutrophication, evolution accelerating, expansion of university climate groups, extinctions (human, civilisation, logic, Inuit, smallest butterfly, cod, pikas, polar bears, possums, walrus, toads, plants, salmon, trout, wild flowers, woodlice, a million species, half of all animal and plant species, mountain species, not polar bears, barrier reef, leaches, salamanders, tropical insects) experts muzzled, extreme changes to California, fading fall foliage, fainting, famine, farmers benefit, farmers go under, farm output boost, fashion disaster, fever, figurehead sacked, fir cone bonanza, fires fanned in Nepal, fish bigger, fish catches drop, fish downsize, fish deaf, fish get lost, fish head north, fish shrinking, fish stocks at risk, fish stocks decline, five million illnesses, flesh eating disease, flies on Everest, flood patterns change, floods, floods of beaches and cities, flood of migrants, flood preparation for crisis, flora dispersed, Florida economic decline, flowers in peril, food poisoning, food prices rise, food prices soar, food security threat (SA), football team migration, forest decline, forest expansion, frog with extra heads, frostbite, frost damage increased, fungi fruitful, fungi invasion, games change, Garden of Eden wilts, geese decline in Hampshire, genetic diversity decline, gene pools slashed, giant oysters invade, giant pythons invade, giant squid migrate, gingerbread houses collapse, glacial earthquakes, glacial retreat, glacier grows (California), glacier wrapped, global cooling, glowing clouds, golf course to drown, golf Masters wrecked, grain output drop (China), grandstanding, grasslands wetter, gravity shift, Great Barrier Reef 95% dead, Great Lakes drop, great tits cope, greening of the North, Grey whales lose weight, Gulf Stream failure, habitat loss, haggis threatened, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, harvest increase, harvest shrinkage, hay fever epidemic, health affected, health of children harmed, health risks, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (Australia), heat waves, hibernation affected, hibernation ends too soon, hibernation ends too late, homeless 50 million, hornets, human development faces unprecedented reversal, human fertility reduced, human health risk, human race oblivion, hurricanes, hurricane reduction, hurricanes fewer, hurricanes not, hydropower problems, hyperthermia deaths, ice age, ice sheet growth, ice sheet shrinkage, icebergs, illness and death, inclement weather, India drowning, infrastructure failure (Canada), industry threatened, infectious diseases, inflation in China, insect explosion, insect invasion, insurance premium rises, Inuit displacement, Inuit poisoned, Inuit suing, invasion of alien worms, invasion of cats, invasion of crabgrass, invasion of herons, invasion of jellyfish, invasion of king crabs, invasion of midges, island disappears, islands sinking, Italy robbed of pasta, itchier poison ivy, jellyfish explosion, jets fall from sky, Kew Gardens taxed, kidney stones, killer cornflakes, killing us, kitten boom, koalas under threat, krill decline, lake and stream productivity decline, lake empties, lake shrinking and growing, landslides, landslides of ice at 140 mph, large trees decline, lawsuits increase, lawsuit successful, lawyers' income increased (surprise surprise!), lawyers want more, legionnaires' surge, lives saved, Loch Ness monster dead, locust plagues suppressed, lush growth in rain forests, Malaria, mammoth dung melt, mango harvest fails, Maple production advanced, Maple syrup shortage, marine diseases, marine food chain decimated, Meaching (end of the world), Meat eating to stop, Mediterranean rises, megacryometeors, Melanoma, Melanoma decline, methane emissions from plants, methane burps, methane runaway, melting permafrost, Middle Kingdom convulses, migration, migratory birds huge losses, microbes to decompose soil carbon more rapidly, minorities hit, monkeys at risk, monkeys on the move, Mont Blanc grows, monuments imperiled, moose dying, more bad air days, more research needed, mortality increased, mountain (Everest) shrinking, mountaineers fears, mountains break up, mountains green and flowering, mountains taller, mortality lower, Myanmar cyclone, narwhals at risk, National Parks damaged, National security implications, native wildlife overwhelmed, natural disasters quadruple, new islands, next ice age, NFL threatened, Nile delta damaged, noctilucent clouds, no effect in India, Northwest Passage opened, nuclear plants bloom, oaks dying, oaks move north, ocean acidification, ocean acidification faster, ocean dead spots, ocean dead zones unleashed, ocean deserts expand, ocean waves speed up, Olympic Games to end, opera house to be destroyed, outdoor hockey threatened, ozone repair slowed, ozone rise, penguin chicks frozen, penguin chicks smaller, personal carbon rationing, pest outbreaks, pests increase, phenology shifts, pines decline, plankton blooms, plants lose protein, plants march north, plants move uphill, polar bears aggressive, polar bears deaf, polar bears drowning, polar tours scrapped, popcorn rise, porpoise astray, profits collapse, psychiatric illness, puffin decline, pushes poor women into prostitution, rabid bats, radars taken out, railroad tracks deformed, rainfall increase, rape wave, refugees, reindeer endangered, release of ancient frozen viruses, resorts disappear, rice threatened, rice yields crash, rift on Capitol Hill, rioting and nuclear war, river flow impacted, rivers raised, roads wear out, robins rampant, rocky peaks crack apart, roof of the world a desert, rooftop bars, Ross river disease, ruins ruined, Russia under pressure, salinity reduction, salinity increase, Salmonella, salmon stronger, satellites accelerate, school closures, sea level rise, sea level rise faster, seals mating more, seismic activity, sewer bills rise, severe thunderstorms, sex change, sexual promiscuity, shark attacks, sharks booming, sharks moving north, sheep shrink, shop closures, short-nosed dogs endangered, shrinking ponds, shrinking sheep, shrinking shrine, Sidney Opera House wiped out, ski resorts threatened, slow death, smaller brains, smog, snowfall decrease, snowfall increase, snowfall heavy, snow thicker, soaring food prices, societal collapse, soil change, songbirds change eating habits, sour grapes, space problem, spectacular orchids, spiders getting bigger, spiders invade Scotland, squid larger, squid population explosion, squid tamed, squirrels reproduce earlier, stingray invasion, storms wetter, street crime to increase, subsidence, suicide, swordfish in the Baltic, Tabasco tragedy, taxes, tectonic plate movement, terrorists (India), threat to peace, ticks move northward (Sweden), tides rise, tigers eat people, tomatoes rot, tornado outbreak, tourism increase, toxic seaweed, trade barriers, trade winds weakened, traffic jams, transportation threatened, tree foliage increase (UK), tree growth slowed, trees in trouble, trees less colourful, trees more colourful, trees lush, tropics expansion, tropopause raised, truffle shortage, truffles down, turtles crash, turtle feminised, turtles lay earlier, UFO sightings, UK coastal impact, UK Katrina, Vampire moths, Venice flooded, violin decline, volcanic eruptions, walrus pups orphaned, walrus stampede, wars over water, wars sparked, wars threaten billions, wasps, water bills double, water scarcity (20% of increase), weather out of its mind, weather patterns awry, Western aid cancelled out, West Nile fever, whale beachings, whales lose weight, whales move north, wheat yields crushed in Australia, wildfires, wind shift, wind reduced, winds stronger, winds weaker, wine - Australian baked, wine - harm to Australian industry, wine industry damage (California), wine industry disaster (US), wine - more English, wine - England too hot, wine -German boon, wine - no more French , wine passé (Napa), wine - Scotland best, wine stronger, winters in Britain colder, winter in Britain dead, witchcraft executions, wolves eat more moose, wolves eat less, workers laid off, World at war, World War 4, World bankruptcy, World in crisis, World in flames, Yellow fever.
and all on 0.006 deg C per year!
I'm overdrawn - perhaps I can try that too?
Well, you could be right - here's a little list of subjects put forward by pressure groups, PR rampers and special interest organisations that are playing in the greeny funding space:
A complete list of things caused by global warming
Acne, agricultural land increase, Afghan poppies destroyed, poppies more potent, Africa devastated, Africa in conflict, African aid threatened, African summer frost, aggressive weeds, Air France crash, air pressure changes, airport malaria, Agulhas current, Al Qaeda and Taliban Being Helped, allergy season longer, alligators in the Thames, Alps melting, Amazon a desert, American dream end, amphibians breeding earlier (or not), anaphylactic reactions to bee stings, ancient forests dramatically changed, animals head for the hills, animals shrink, Antarctic grass flourishes, Antarctic ice grows, Antarctic ice shrinks, Antarctic sea life at risk, anxiety treatment, algal blooms, archaeological sites threatened, Arctic bogs melt, Arctic in bloom, Arctic ice free, Arctic ice melt faster, Arctic lakes disappear, Arctic warming (not), asthma, Atlantic less salty, Atlantic more salty, atmospheric circulation modified, attack of the killer jellyfish, avalanches reduced, avalanches increased, Baghdad snow, Bahrain under water, bananas grow, barbarisation, beer and bread prices to soar, beer better, beer worse, beetle infestation, bet for $10,000, big melt faster, billion dollar research projects, billion homeless, billions face risk, billions of deaths, bird distributions change, bird loss accelerating, bird strikes, bird visitors drop, birds confused, birds decline (Wales), birds driven north, birds face longer migrations, birds return early, birds shrink, bittern boom ends, blackbirds stop singing, blackbirds threatened, Black Hawk down, blood contaminated, blue mussels return, bluetongue, brain eating amoebae, brains shrink, bridge collapse (Minneapolis), Britain one big city, Britain Siberian, British monsoon, brothels struggle, brown Ireland, bubonic plague, budget increases, Buddhist temple threatened, building collapse, building season extension, bushfires, butterflies move north, carbon crimes, camel deaths, cancer deaths in England, cannibalism, caterpillar biomass shift, cave paintings threatened, childhood insomnia, Cholera, circumcision in decline, cirrus disappearance, civil unrest, cloud increase, coast beauty spots lost, cockroach migration, cod go south, coffee threatened, coffee berry borer, cold climate creatures survive, cold spells (Australia), cold wave (India), computer models, conferences, conflict, conflict with Russia, consumers foot the bill, coral bleaching, coral fish suffer, coral reefs dying, coral reefs grow, coral reefs shrink , coral reefs twilight, cost of trillions, cougar attacks, crabgrass menace, cradle of civilisation threatened, creatures move uphill, crime increase, crocodile sex, crops devastated, crumbling roads, buildings and sewage systems, curriculum change, cyclones (Australia), danger to kid's health, Darfur, Dartford Warbler plague, deadly virus outbreaks, death rate increase (US), deaths to reach 6 million, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, depression, desert advance, desert retreat, destruction of the environment, dig sites threatened, disasters, diseases move north, dog disease, Dolomites collapse, dozen deadly diseases - or not, drought, ducks and geese decline, dust bowl in the corn belt, earlier pollen season, Earth axis tilt, Earth biodiversity crisis, Earth dying, Earth even hotter, Earth light dimming, Earth lopsided, Earth melting, Earth morbid fever, Earth on fast track, Earth past point of no return, Earth slowing down, Earth spins faster, Earth to explode, earth upside down, earthquakes, earthquakes redux, El Niño intensification, end of the world as we know it, erosion, emerging infections, encephalitis, English villages lost, equality threatened, Europe simultaneously baking and freezing, eutrophication, evolution accelerating, expansion of university climate groups, extinctions (human, civilisation, logic, Inuit, smallest butterfly, cod, pikas, polar bears, possums, walrus, toads, plants, salmon, trout, wild flowers, woodlice, a million species, half of all animal and plant species, mountain species, not polar bears, barrier reef, leaches, salamanders, tropical insects) experts muzzled, extreme changes to California, fading fall foliage, fainting, famine, farmers benefit, farmers go under, farm output boost, fashion disaster, fever, figurehead sacked, fir cone bonanza, fires fanned in Nepal, fish bigger, fish catches drop, fish downsize, fish deaf, fish get lost, fish head north, fish shrinking, fish stocks at risk, fish stocks decline, five million illnesses, flesh eating disease, flies on Everest, flood patterns change, floods, floods of beaches and cities, flood of migrants, flood preparation for crisis, flora dispersed, Florida economic decline, flowers in peril, food poisoning, food prices rise, food prices soar, food security threat (SA), football team migration, forest decline, forest expansion, frog with extra heads, frostbite, frost damage increased, fungi fruitful, fungi invasion, games change, Garden of Eden wilts, geese decline in Hampshire, genetic diversity decline, gene pools slashed, giant oysters invade, giant pythons invade, giant squid migrate, gingerbread houses collapse, glacial earthquakes, glacial retreat, glacier grows (California), glacier wrapped, global cooling, glowing clouds, golf course to drown, golf Masters wrecked, grain output drop (China), grandstanding, grasslands wetter, gravity shift, Great Barrier Reef 95% dead, Great Lakes drop, great tits cope, greening of the North, Grey whales lose weight, Gulf Stream failure, habitat loss, haggis threatened, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, harvest increase, harvest shrinkage, hay fever epidemic, health affected, health of children harmed, health risks, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (Australia), heat waves, hibernation affected, hibernation ends too soon, hibernation ends too late, homeless 50 million, hornets, human development faces unprecedented reversal, human fertility reduced, human health risk, human race oblivion, hurricanes, hurricane reduction, hurricanes fewer, hurricanes not, hydropower problems, hyperthermia deaths, ice age, ice sheet growth, ice sheet shrinkage, icebergs, illness and death, inclement weather, India drowning, infrastructure failure (Canada), industry threatened, infectious diseases, inflation in China, insect explosion, insect invasion, insurance premium rises, Inuit displacement, Inuit poisoned, Inuit suing, invasion of alien worms, invasion of cats, invasion of crabgrass, invasion of herons, invasion of jellyfish, invasion of king crabs, invasion of midges, island disappears, islands sinking, Italy robbed of pasta, itchier poison ivy, jellyfish explosion, jets fall from sky, Kew Gardens taxed, kidney stones, killer cornflakes, killing us, kitten boom, koalas under threat, krill decline, lake and stream productivity decline, lake empties, lake shrinking and growing, landslides, landslides of ice at 140 mph, large trees decline, lawsuits increase, lawsuit successful, lawyers' income increased (surprise surprise!), lawyers want more, legionnaires' surge, lives saved, Loch Ness monster dead, locust plagues suppressed, lush growth in rain forests, Malaria, mammoth dung melt, mango harvest fails, Maple production advanced, Maple syrup shortage, marine diseases, marine food chain decimated, Meaching (end of the world), Meat eating to stop, Mediterranean rises, megacryometeors, Melanoma, Melanoma decline, methane emissions from plants, methane burps, methane runaway, melting permafrost, Middle Kingdom convulses, migration, migratory birds huge losses, microbes to decompose soil carbon more rapidly, minorities hit, monkeys at risk, monkeys on the move, Mont Blanc grows, monuments imperiled, moose dying, more bad air days, more research needed, mortality increased, mountain (Everest) shrinking, mountaineers fears, mountains break up, mountains green and flowering, mountains taller, mortality lower, Myanmar cyclone, narwhals at risk, National Parks damaged, National security implications, native wildlife overwhelmed, natural disasters quadruple, new islands, next ice age, NFL threatened, Nile delta damaged, noctilucent clouds, no effect in India, Northwest Passage opened, nuclear plants bloom, oaks dying, oaks move north, ocean acidification, ocean acidification faster, ocean dead spots, ocean dead zones unleashed, ocean deserts expand, ocean waves speed up, Olympic Games to end, opera house to be destroyed, outdoor hockey threatened, ozone repair slowed, ozone rise, penguin chicks frozen, penguin chicks smaller, personal carbon rationing, pest outbreaks, pests increase, phenology shifts, pines decline, plankton blooms, plants lose protein, plants march north, plants move uphill, polar bears aggressive, polar bears deaf, polar bears drowning, polar tours scrapped, popcorn rise, porpoise astray, profits collapse, psychiatric illness, puffin decline, pushes poor women into prostitution, rabid bats, radars taken out, railroad tracks deformed, rainfall increase, rape wave, refugees, reindeer endangered, release of ancient frozen viruses, resorts disappear, rice threatened, rice yields crash, rift on Capitol Hill, rioting and nuclear war, river flow impacted, rivers raised, roads wear out, robins rampant, rocky peaks crack apart, roof of the world a desert, rooftop bars, Ross river disease, ruins ruined, Russia under pressure, salinity reduction, salinity increase, Salmonella, salmon stronger, satellites accelerate, school closures, sea level rise, sea level rise faster, seals mating more, seismic activity, sewer bills rise, severe thunderstorms, sex change, sexual promiscuity, shark attacks, sharks booming, sharks moving north, sheep shrink, shop closures, short-nosed dogs endangered, shrinking ponds, shrinking sheep, shrinking shrine, Sidney Opera House wiped out, ski resorts threatened, slow death, smaller brains, smog, snowfall decrease, snowfall increase, snowfall heavy, snow thicker, soaring food prices, societal collapse, soil change, songbirds change eating habits, sour grapes, space problem, spectacular orchids, spiders getting bigger, spiders invade Scotland, squid larger, squid population explosion, squid tamed, squirrels reproduce earlier, stingray invasion, storms wetter, street crime to increase, subsidence, suicide, swordfish in the Baltic, Tabasco tragedy, taxes, tectonic plate movement, terrorists (India), threat to peace, ticks move northward (Sweden), tides rise, tigers eat people, tomatoes rot, tornado outbreak, tourism increase, toxic seaweed, trade barriers, trade winds weakened, traffic jams, transportation threatened, tree foliage increase (UK), tree growth slowed, trees in trouble, trees less colourful, trees more colourful, trees lush, tropics expansion, tropopause raised, truffle shortage, truffles down, turtles crash, turtle feminised, turtles lay earlier, UFO sightings, UK coastal impact, UK Katrina, Vampire moths, Venice flooded, violin decline, volcanic eruptions, walrus pups orphaned, walrus stampede, wars over water, wars sparked, wars threaten billions, wasps, water bills double, water scarcity (20% of increase), weather out of its mind, weather patterns awry, Western aid cancelled out, West Nile fever, whale beachings, whales lose weight, whales move north, wheat yields crushed in Australia, wildfires, wind shift, wind reduced, winds stronger, winds weaker, wine - Australian baked, wine - harm to Australian industry, wine industry damage (California), wine industry disaster (US), wine - more English, wine - England too hot, wine -German boon, wine - no more French , wine passé (Napa), wine - Scotland best, wine stronger, winters in Britain colder, winter in Britain dead, witchcraft executions, wolves eat more moose, wolves eat less, workers laid off, World at war, World War 4, World bankruptcy, World in crisis, World in flames, Yellow fever.
and all on 0.006 deg C per year!
I'm overdrawn - perhaps I can try that too?
You are mentally ill if you don't agree with AGW
Dear Honorary Platonians,
This takes the biscuit. Plato knows that every possible bandwagon is hitched to the funding available for AGW research - but this has to be the most alarming. So now if you are a 'denier' - and live in the USA, someone can decide you're insane.
WTF?
"Section 3: What are the psychosocial impacts of climate change?
Psychosocial and mental health impacts of climate change
Mental health issues associated with natural and technological disasters
Stress and emotional outcomes associated with natural and technological disasters
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina
Differentiating between normal and pathological worry regarding climate change
Uncertainty and despair
Research on climate change-related emotions
Numbness or apathy
Guilt regarding environmental issues
Social and community impacts of climate change
Heat and violence
Intergroup relations
Displacement and relocation
Reactions to socioeconomic disparities
Social justice implications
Moderators of climate change impacts
Proximity
Vulnerabilities and resilience
Social norms
Psychosocial mediators of climate change impacts
Relative risk appraisals
Mental models
Media representations
Anxiety
Global climate change in context of other environmental challenges
Psychological benefits associated with responding to climate change
Research on psychosocial impacts of climate change
The relationship between psychosocial impacts and coping"
This takes the biscuit. Plato knows that every possible bandwagon is hitched to the funding available for AGW research - but this has to be the most alarming. So now if you are a 'denier' - and live in the USA, someone can decide you're insane.
WTF?
"Section 3: What are the psychosocial impacts of climate change?
Psychosocial and mental health impacts of climate change
Mental health issues associated with natural and technological disasters
Stress and emotional outcomes associated with natural and technological disasters
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina
Differentiating between normal and pathological worry regarding climate change
Uncertainty and despair
Research on climate change-related emotions
Numbness or apathy
Guilt regarding environmental issues
Social and community impacts of climate change
Heat and violence
Intergroup relations
Displacement and relocation
Reactions to socioeconomic disparities
Social justice implications
Moderators of climate change impacts
Proximity
Vulnerabilities and resilience
Social norms
Psychosocial mediators of climate change impacts
Relative risk appraisals
Mental models
Media representations
Anxiety
Global climate change in context of other environmental challenges
Psychological benefits associated with responding to climate change
Research on psychosocial impacts of climate change
The relationship between psychosocial impacts and coping"
Al Gore pwned but no one was listening before Climategate
Plato is enjoying this - watch Al Gore go er er er er er when asked about his involvement with Enron in 1997 and his interests in carbon trading schemes.
Very very amusing - pwned.
And here's the founder of the Weather Channel [which Mr Gore is now a shareholder in] saying way back in June 2008 about the 30k scientists who disagreed on AGW - funny how we never heard about them, isn't it?
And here's the founder of the Weather Channel [which Mr Gore is now a shareholder in] saying way back in June 2008 about the 30k scientists who disagreed on AGW - funny how we never heard about them, isn't it?
Hear the fear - all they have left is abuse
By golly, Plato has never been called names before by an elected Member of Parliament - or even several.
Still there's a first time for everything - and really she ought to feel privileged that such ad hominem attacks have come from those holding the high offices of Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Environment.
So, what exactly has she and her ilk been called *so far*
"Flat-Earther" [a bit like a Creationist you mean?]
"Anti-science" [ more of a Scientologist then?]
"Climate-saboteur" [ah, a cute fox killer and baby seal clubber]
"Dangerous and deceitful" [what like some escaped criminal fraudster?]
and lest not forget that she's also been compared to a Holocaust denier too.
Well, that's nice isn't it?
And on Newsnight, one of the UEA scientists called another guest an 'arsehole' live on air after spending the entire piece complaining about personal attacks on his data-cooking chums.
Oh and lest not forget Mr Bob Ward - the one man PR machine who compared Plato to a member of the BNP because Nick Griffin isn't too sold on AGW either.
When anyone stoops to name calling, as my mum said - they've lost the argument. Shame that Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband appear to have missed that one.
As a well known Indian chappy once said, "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
I do hope so.
Arsehole on Newsnight
Oh dear, oh dear. Plato can't recall the last time she watched something so entertainingly bad.
Now, to be totally fair - the guy from the USA was a bit of a plonker. However, she does think that the chappy from UEA trumped even his buffoonery when he:
a) told him to stop shouting
b) told him to 'Shut UP'
c) did the whole eye-rolling thing at 2mins in
d) and then called him as arsehole live on air
[a pin-dropping moment if ever there was one]
And what makes this even more amusing is that the UEA rep spent his entire face-time criticising Flat-Earth non-believers [trademark Gordon Brown PM] for launching personal attacks on his chums. Plato does like a spot of irony.
Clearly these chappies haven't read any books by Dale Carnegie...
Now, to be totally fair - the guy from the USA was a bit of a plonker. However, she does think that the chappy from UEA trumped even his buffoonery when he:
a) told him to stop shouting
b) told him to 'Shut UP'
c) did the whole eye-rolling thing at 2mins in
d) and then called him as arsehole live on air
[a pin-dropping moment if ever there was one]
And what makes this even more amusing is that the UEA rep spent his entire face-time criticising Flat-Earth non-believers [trademark Gordon Brown PM] for launching personal attacks on his chums. Plato does like a spot of irony.
Clearly these chappies haven't read any books by Dale Carnegie...
Thanks to SwissBob for the video capture.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Hilarious Greeny Bob Ward loses it on Sky
Bob Ward is a very strange individual to have as a spokesperson - he's about as sensible as Chicken Licken, here's his article in the Guardian. This gist is that those who disagree with AWG are racists...yeah right...
In his professional life, Bob is the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Jim Hacker will be delighted, I'm sure.
In his professional life, Bob is the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Jim Hacker will be delighted, I'm sure.
Greenies wanted to put him down
Whenever Greenies tell you how much they love polar bears, just remember that they'd rather this little chap was put down, lest he was psychologically damaged by his human foster parents.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The results are in...
Dear Honorary Platonians,
For those of you following Mr Delingpole's coverage of Climategate - you'll know that he's had a stonking week in terms of traffic.
And then of course, there was Mr Heaven, another Daily Telegraph hack who wasn't getting quite the same number of eye-balls... Now, piling onto someone else's bandwagon can sometimes be a *good* move.
Unfortunately, for Mr Heaven - it didn't quite work out that way. So what would a smart person do? Hope that the mega-flaming would quickly fade from our minds [and that his colleagues weren't too merciless in their pee-taking] ?
Nope - drunk with comments, Mr Heaven came back for another go like a pub bore.
Now at this point Plato wondered what could possibly be so attractive about Mr Delingpole that caused Mr Heaven to lose the plot so spendidly? Was it simply the green-eyed monster or a secret crush? Or both.
[click to enlarge]
The wisdom of crowds speaks again ...
As Mr Heaven said, "@Platosays – I don’t approve of trolls usually, but the poll is a first and v funny"
Good on him [despite all his weird views] for laughing at himself.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Daily Show - Climategate Edition
Shame Mr Stewart doesn't actually refer to HARRY_READ_ME. He's clearly still sitting the on the fence - but my for a lefty like Mr Stewart this is a BIG shift.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
...PLEASE...
For those following the Climategate scandal - here's the latest Fox News broadcast [they are the only broadcaster giving this story any airtime at all - good on them]
What makes this coverage important are the comments made by Brit Hume - he's a very well regarded journalist who has a very impressive CV.
What makes this coverage important are the comments made by Brit Hume - he's a very well regarded journalist who has a very impressive CV.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Guess which newspaper wrote this...
"‘Climategate’ is not an ordinary case of falsifying data by a few rogue scientists. The fraudulent theory of Global Warming has provided the basis for an international political movement which has the stated goal of completely restructuring the entire global economy based on that fraudulent theory. ‘Global Warming’ is a con game perpetrated by dishonest scientists and the government and corporate leaders who provide the corrupt scientists with opportunities for advancement.
If we fail to stop the further politicization and institutionalization of the fraudulent theory of Global Warming, we will most certainly experience a future of ‘science’ controlled by government decree and of a world government that facilitates the operations of corporate industries while imposing severe restrictions and arbitrary taxes on the general public.
That is a future which would fully justify resistance and rebellion among the international populations who will be the victims of this massive global fraud. If we fail to stop this fraudulent enterprise by legal means, we will certainly have a future of global oppression based on fraud, with its attendant institutionalized crimes, and whatever popular backlash might eventually result. "
Any idea?
Try Pravda - yup that well known advocate of free speech.
What on Earth is going on at the BBC?
If we fail to stop the further politicization and institutionalization of the fraudulent theory of Global Warming, we will most certainly experience a future of ‘science’ controlled by government decree and of a world government that facilitates the operations of corporate industries while imposing severe restrictions and arbitrary taxes on the general public.
That is a future which would fully justify resistance and rebellion among the international populations who will be the victims of this massive global fraud. If we fail to stop this fraudulent enterprise by legal means, we will certainly have a future of global oppression based on fraud, with its attendant institutionalized crimes, and whatever popular backlash might eventually result. "
Any idea?
Try Pravda - yup that well known advocate of free speech.
What on Earth is going on at the BBC?
Saturday, November 28, 2009
This is so....
Plato is a cynical old goat - but this is :-(
If you didn't get as far as this bit of the tv programme I posted earlier - no worries... this is quite appalling - and Plato isn't joking, she's shocked.
If you didn't get as far as this bit of the tv programme I posted earlier - no worries... this is quite appalling - and Plato isn't joking, she's shocked.
Climategate - Who's Who
Okay, now if you know nothing at all about this subject - and I mean you've not heard anything about it - then stop here unless you're really keen.
The following is a good summary - if sometimes a bit quick - of all the main issues that have become known as Climategate.
Plato has been truly stunned and appalled at the double-dealing, fabrication of data, deception and bullying of collegues that has been hidden under the religion of man-made global warming.
For the avoidance of doubt - there are a number of ways to describe their strategy:
- Anthropogenic Global Warming [AGW] - this is usually shown like this
- Climate Change [when the data started to look iffy] now looks like this, but they'd rather you didn't know that
- Polar Bears Are Drowning/Falling From The Skies [like 911 victims]
- and of course We're All Going To Die - not
*simples*
The following is a good summary - if sometimes a bit quick - of all the main issues that have become known as Climategate.
Plato has been truly stunned and appalled at the double-dealing, fabrication of data, deception and bullying of collegues that has been hidden under the religion of man-made global warming.
For the avoidance of doubt - there are a number of ways to describe their strategy:
- Anthropogenic Global Warming [AGW] - this is usually shown like this
- Climate Change [when the data started to look iffy] now looks like this, but they'd rather you didn't know that
- Polar Bears Are Drowning/Falling From The Skies [like 911 victims]
- and of course We're All Going To Die - not
*simples*
WARNING - AGW virus alert
WARNING
The AGW Virus
The AGW Anthropogenic Global Warming or Human Induced Climate Change virus was first isolated in a lab at the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.
Virus Signature:
The AGW virus can be recognized by the following signature
——
valadj=[0.,0.,0.,0.,0.,-0.1,-0.25,-0.3,0.,-0.1,0.3,0.8,1.2,1.7,2.5,2.6,2.6,2.6,2.6,2.6]*0.75 ; fudge factor
yearlyadj=interpol(valadj,yrloc,x)
densall=densall+yearlyadj
——
Detection:
The external effect of the virus is visible as a tendency of graphed data to ‘dip’ in the middle and then rise sharply at then end for no other apparent reason.
Pathology:
The AGW virus and been found to infect both IPL computer programs and research papers. All attempts to mitigate the spread of the virus using the current procedures of peer review and analysis have been unable to contain the spread of the infection. In sever cases the virus has been seen to affect the central nervous system in humans although no direct link to the rabies virus has been demonstrated
Patient Zero:
It currently appears that patient zero was an IPL program known to as “FOI2009/FOIA/documents/harris/tree/briffa_sep98_e.pro”. It is not known at this time what other artifacts may have been contaminated by the virus.
Preventing the spread if AGW:
If you detect that the virus has infected one of your papers you should place the paper in a suitable quarantined environment. The peat bogs of northern England and Scotland will provide sufficient protection to the environment if the hole is at least 1.47 meters deep.
If you know of any software that is infected with the AGW virus the proper procedure for disposal is to maintain an alternating 100 Gauss field in the immediate vicinity of the infection for not less then 2 hours, 4 hours is recommended.
Please help prevent the spread of the AGW virus, please model responsibly.
[As I'm not the author [anyone know who is? We do now!] of this little joke - please add your technical expertise in the comments!]
The AGW Virus
The AGW Anthropogenic Global Warming or Human Induced Climate Change virus was first isolated in a lab at the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.
Virus Signature:
The AGW virus can be recognized by the following signature
——
valadj=[0.,0.,0.,0.,0.,-0.1,-0.25,-0.3,0.,-0.1,0.3,0.8,1.2,1.7,2.5,2.6,2.6,2.6,2.6,2.6]*0.75 ; fudge factor
yearlyadj=interpol(valadj,yrloc,x)
densall=densall+yearlyadj
——
Detection:
The external effect of the virus is visible as a tendency of graphed data to ‘dip’ in the middle and then rise sharply at then end for no other apparent reason.
Pathology:
The AGW virus and been found to infect both IPL computer programs and research papers. All attempts to mitigate the spread of the virus using the current procedures of peer review and analysis have been unable to contain the spread of the infection. In sever cases the virus has been seen to affect the central nervous system in humans although no direct link to the rabies virus has been demonstrated
Patient Zero:
It currently appears that patient zero was an IPL program known to as “FOI2009/FOIA/documents/harris/tree/briffa_sep98_e.pro”. It is not known at this time what other artifacts may have been contaminated by the virus.
Preventing the spread if AGW:
If you detect that the virus has infected one of your papers you should place the paper in a suitable quarantined environment. The peat bogs of northern England and Scotland will provide sufficient protection to the environment if the hole is at least 1.47 meters deep.
If you know of any software that is infected with the AGW virus the proper procedure for disposal is to maintain an alternating 100 Gauss field in the immediate vicinity of the infection for not less then 2 hours, 4 hours is recommended.
Please help prevent the spread of the AGW virus, please model responsibly.
[As I'm not the author [anyone know who is? We do now!] of this little joke - please add your technical expertise in the comments!]
Great Climate Hoax video
Plato did like this. She is still scratching her head that it was covered on Russian cable TV before it was mentioned on the BBC...
Thursday, November 26, 2009
America's Paxo
This is one of the most unintentionally funny interviews about Climategate so far...stick with it to the end, hilarious.
And this is the best spokesperson they could come up with?
And this is the best spokesperson they could come up with?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Global warming debate goes TV mainstream
What started out on the blogs, caught fire over the weekend with more pioneering or maverick journalists such as James Delingpole and Andew Bolt getting on board. The first mainstream TV news channel to carry an interview with two serious players is below - where is the BBC? It's not like the University of East Anglia is in Outer Mongolia FFS
Today has seen the MSM getting some balls with stuff in all the big circulation more serious press from the DT/Times/DMail to WSJ/WP/DeSp/Aus.
Plato suspects it will take another week of disclosures before UEA starts to cull the main players - even if it takes months, it's a dead cert.
I wonder if Jones et al will still be going to Copenhagen??
PS The BBC and Guardian are still pretending that this scandal is a 'move along now, nothing to see' story.
When the realignment of the world's economy is central to the argument of a scandal of this nature - and the world's biggest publicly funded broadcaster is doing a LALALALLALLA, Plato's heart sinks.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
What is it with greenies and offensive ads?
Dear Honorary Platonians,
It isn't often that your Supreme Queen's flesh crawls.
She thought that PlaneStupid's 9/11 polar bears falling from the skies and squelching onto cars and pavements was a low point.
She was wrong. WWF managed something even more warped, repelling and frankly in the worst possible taste as Cupid Stunt would say.
How any organisation let alone a charity can use 9/11 as an emotional hook to encourage organ donation is frankly creepy.
It isn't often that your Supreme Queen's flesh crawls.
She thought that PlaneStupid's 9/11 polar bears falling from the skies and squelching onto cars and pavements was a low point.
She was wrong. WWF managed something even more warped, repelling and frankly in the worst possible taste as Cupid Stunt would say.
How any organisation let alone a charity can use 9/11 as an emotional hook to encourage organ donation is frankly creepy.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Ignoring facts
Hmm, whilst Plato has never been a big 'climate change denier' [my what a loaded phrase that is], she has been intrigued by the blogowar that has erupted since last night re the CRU and its Prf Phil Jones.
I 'distance-diagnose' from my PC that he'll be having a *crap weekend*.
For those who have no idea what I'm wibbling about - here is a graph about global warming or not as the case may be [click to enlarge the image and read text]
Hmm, see how it goes up when data suits their argument? And doesn't when it well, doesn't?
I'll keep readers updated over the weekend. If you are as sad as me, Google terms like: hack CRU, Hadley, Phil Jones, AGW, Mann ... you get the drift....
I 'distance-diagnose' from my PC that he'll be having a *crap weekend*.
For those who have no idea what I'm wibbling about - here is a graph about global warming or not as the case may be [click to enlarge the image and read text]
Hmm, see how it goes up when data suits their argument? And doesn't when it well, doesn't?
I'll keep readers updated over the weekend. If you are as sad as me, Google terms like: hack CRU, Hadley, Phil Jones, AGW, Mann ... you get the drift....
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Gordon the Gopher
Plato LOL when she read this glorious piece in the Telegraph
"Gordon, the puppet gopher that appeared on Children's BBC programmes with Phillip Schofield Paul Smith, who is now the BBC’s Head of Editorial Standards, in Audio and music, operated the puppet between 1985 and 1987 on the children’s slot The Broom Cupboard.
Mr Smith, was promoted to the role following the infamous Russell Brand broadcast to Andrew Sachs, is paid a salary of £110,000 according to information released by the BBC under Freedom of Information laws.
The presenter Philip Schofield, who presents This Morning, made the revelation on Twitter, the microblogging site.
He wrote: “Funniest news of the afternoon, the lovely bloke that used to be Gordon The Gopher now heads up a huge BBC dept .... compliance!
He later sent a tweet saying: “heads up BBC compliance! I'm still laughing”.
A BBC source said: “He’s operating a different set of strings now”.
"Gordon, the puppet gopher that appeared on Children's BBC programmes with Phillip Schofield Paul Smith, who is now the BBC’s Head of Editorial Standards, in Audio and music, operated the puppet between 1985 and 1987 on the children’s slot The Broom Cupboard.
The presenter Philip Schofield, who presents This Morning, made the revelation on Twitter, the microblogging site.
He wrote: “Funniest news of the afternoon, the lovely bloke that used to be Gordon The Gopher now heads up a huge BBC dept .... compliance!
He later sent a tweet saying: “heads up BBC compliance! I'm still laughing”.
A BBC source said: “He’s operating a different set of strings now”.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Belle takes no prisoners
If like Plato, you have been amazed that Belle de Jour has turned out to be a PhD brain with chuzpah, here's her post about discovering some very amusing and pathetic photos from her supposedly loyal boyfriend [you know, the one who blabbed to the Daily Mail today and forced her outing].
"vendredi, novembre 14 [2008 I think]
You know those 'I'm a PC... and I'm a Mac' adverts? Well, here is a variation on the theme for you:
My ex, the one known here as the Boy, is a PC user. I am a Mac user. This week, in a misguided attempt to win me back, he posted a birthday gift - a 320 gig external hard drive stuffed with the entire digital record of our time together. Photos, videos, the lot.
Only the Boy, he is not what we would call super tech-savvy. Because on plugging the drive into my Mac - fully intending to reformat the disk and erase over all of that shite for I am, if nothing else, disinclined to look gift horses in the mouth - I scanned through the folders to see first if there were any mementoes worth saving.
What do you think I found, alongside all the soppily renamed, weren't-we-great-together rest? Only the Recycle Bin folder, of course. Which he had neglected to empty.
Oh, PC. You really aren't very clever, are you?
And there were the real photos. The ones of him and that other woman, the one whose saggy, hippo-like form I'd found on my phone all those months ago. [Do read this - its even more embarrassing for The Boy]. Here they were at his works do, him struggling to hold her aloft. Here she was in his bedroom, lounging in what might euphemistically be called a Rubenesque attitude. Here she was in an improvised toga at a fancy dress party, the mechanics of which garment seemed to rely entirely on the folds of fat under her arms to protect her dignity. Here was the rest of his holiday in New York, the week he spent there after I left, with... well, I don't believe you need to be told. Yes, here, in excruciating detail - as if the other photos weren't nearly enough - was the record of his other relationship with the potato-faced frump he judged superior to me.
So, how do you think I felt? Angry? Detached? Deflated? None of the above actually. What I felt was gratitude. Gratitude and happiness. It was as if a shadow falling over my life had suddenly retreated, showing me the beautiful day it was hiding all along.
In point of fact it is one of the best and most timely gifts I have ever received. This proves, as if proof were needed, what sort of a man he is and how much better my life is now. While I will probably always be appalled to have wasted so much of my life and love on him, at least I got three books' worth of content out of the fucker. She can have the rest of him and good riddance. This is exactly what I needed, the final piece in the puzzle of letting go.
My ex, the one known here as the Boy, is a PC user. I am a Mac user. This week, in a misguided attempt to win me back, he posted a birthday gift - a 320 gig external hard drive stuffed with the entire digital record of our time together. Photos, videos, the lot.
Only the Boy, he is not what we would call super tech-savvy. Because on plugging the drive into my Mac - fully intending to reformat the disk and erase over all of that shite for I am, if nothing else, disinclined to look gift horses in the mouth - I scanned through the folders to see first if there were any mementoes worth saving.
What do you think I found, alongside all the soppily renamed, weren't-we-great-together rest? Only the Recycle Bin folder, of course. Which he had neglected to empty.
Oh, PC. You really aren't very clever, are you?
And there were the real photos. The ones of him and that other woman, the one whose saggy, hippo-like form I'd found on my phone all those months ago. [Do read this - its even more embarrassing for The Boy]. Here they were at his works do, him struggling to hold her aloft. Here she was in his bedroom, lounging in what might euphemistically be called a Rubenesque attitude. Here she was in an improvised toga at a fancy dress party, the mechanics of which garment seemed to rely entirely on the folds of fat under her arms to protect her dignity. Here was the rest of his holiday in New York, the week he spent there after I left, with... well, I don't believe you need to be told. Yes, here, in excruciating detail - as if the other photos weren't nearly enough - was the record of his other relationship with the potato-faced frump he judged superior to me.
So, how do you think I felt? Angry? Detached? Deflated? None of the above actually. What I felt was gratitude. Gratitude and happiness. It was as if a shadow falling over my life had suddenly retreated, showing me the beautiful day it was hiding all along.
In point of fact it is one of the best and most timely gifts I have ever received. This proves, as if proof were needed, what sort of a man he is and how much better my life is now. While I will probably always be appalled to have wasted so much of my life and love on him, at least I got three books' worth of content out of the fucker. She can have the rest of him and good riddance. This is exactly what I needed, the final piece in the puzzle of letting go.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Not lost in translation
Plato was most intrigued when she read this headline in the Guardian
" Pierre Lellouche's views on the Tories and the EU were not lost in translation
" Pierre Lellouche's views on the Tories and the EU were not lost in translation
French minister's spokesman blamed my poor grasp of French. But interview was conducted in English"
Hmm, how interesting.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
He's not that into you
Oh dear. Ha. Obama was washing his hair when Gordon called...
"We are told that President Obama didn’t watch election night coverage last night of the bad results from Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere.
"We are told that President Obama didn’t watch election night coverage last night of the bad results from Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere.
Instead he was apparently tuned to a two hour long HBO documentary about how he stormed to electoral triumph this time last year.
I was watching it too – so was everyone else in the C4 Washington bureau.
We were all enjoying reminiscing about the campaign and our small part in it. Even if we didn’t learn much that we didn’t know at the time. There were very few revealing moments.
We never saw the Obama facade crack.
Either this was the most disciplined, best run and resolutely self confident political campaign in history or this was the best controlled behind the scenes access in history.
But there was one glimmer of revelation – right at the end.
Soon after Obama was declared the winner but before he’d made his acceptance speech in Grant Park in Chicago a junior aide took a call on his cell phone.
We heard him brushing off the caller saying “The President Elect is keen to talk to the Prime Minister too – but he’s a bit busy right now”.
We can only assume it was Gordon Brown on the phone. Getting his first taste of how UK – Obama relations were to proceed."
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Lord Alan says FUCK, we are not in recession - WTF?
Well, there's nothing like ignoring HMG's own figures
The Sun Party
Plato cried with laughter when she read this excerpt from Our Glorious Leader's interview with Piers Morgan in GQ.
His delusion is hilarious and oh look - he even mentions meeting Obama *every day*.
What a sad arse - hoping that the pixie dust will rub off on him...
"In an interview with GQ magazine to be published later this week, the prime minister claimed he had known "for some time" that the Sun was planning to switch allegiances but said he still respected the paper's proprietor, Rupert Murdoch.
The News International paper's decision to endorse David Cameron hours after Brown's speech to the Labour party conference in late September overshadowed the prime minister's address and was a hugely symbolic moment. The Sun had backed Labour for more than a decade.
"I have a lot of admiration for Rupert Murdoch personally," Brown told GQ's interviewer, Piers Morgan. "His family come from not far from mine in Scotland, and his attitudes to hard work and getting on with things you can only admire. But the Sun has tried to become a political party.
"It's not personal about Rupert, he's always been very friendly to me. I think the Sun's made a mistake but that's up to them."
Asked by Morgan which executive at News International made the decision to back the Tories, Brown said: "I don't know, but it doesn't matter because the people will decide what happens at the next election, not the Sun.
"I think the Sun tried to become a political party that day and that was a terrible mistake. And I suspect over time that their readers will think that, too."
Brown also said that media coverage has become increasingly personal: "I think that's a mistake, too. Take my recent trip to America. I had meetings every day with Obama, about Iraq, Iran, the economy, global warming, Afghanistan, nuclear power..."
UPDATE Roy Greenslade sticks the boot in as well - hohoho
"...It may be upset prime ministers, especially when a paper pledges allegiance and then goes wildly off message. But the "terrible mistake" was surely Tony Blair's and Brown's for cosying up to The Sun in the first place.
Most owners and editors revel in their independence. So Brown shows even more naivete by asserting in his GQ magazine interview that The Sun's decision to switch to the Tories "is not personal" in terms of his friendly relationship with its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch.
Don't be daft, Gordon, of course it's personal. The Sun didn't kick you in the balls without Rupert's say-so. He is on record as saying he calls the political tune at the paper (despite a later denial by Rebekah Wade).
Clearly, his interviewer - and former Murdoch employee - Piers Morgan knows the reality. He cheekily asked Brown which News International executive he thought had made the decision to back the Tories.
Brown, poor Brown, is obviously in denial. He replied: "I don't know, but it doesn't matter because the people will decide what happens at the next election, not The Sun."
It was Rupert wot done it, Gordon. Rupert ditched you. Get it straight."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)