Comments on: NBC film crew stranded in Arctic on icebreaker 3 weeks

By: garron

garron — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:14:34 +0000

Michelle Hale (09:32:16) :

Anyone seriously interested in finding out about the excellent multidisciplinary science that went on during this expedition (and on other legs of the same program) should check out the ArcticNet website (www.arcticnet-ulaval.ca)

I have no interest in browsing any pro-AGW site where the “science” is “settled.” If you have a direct link to an article you wish to discuss. . . . . .

By: Michelle Hale

Michelle Hale — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:32:16 +0000

Anyone seriously interested in finding out about the excellent multidisciplinary science that went on during this expedition (and on other legs of the same program) should check out the ArcticNet website (www.arcticnet-ulaval.ca)

By: Around the horn (9/28-10/4) « Zoo Station

Around the horn (9/28-10/4) « Zoo Station — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:46:55 +0000

[...] On a global warming expedition to the arctic to film a show on the earth’s melting ice caps, this NBC News crew was stranded for 3 weeks because of all the ice: [...]

By: Don’t you just hate it when that happens? « WHATEVER!

Don’t you just hate it when that happens? « WHATEVER! — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:31:21 +0000

[...] Read more about this “inconvenient truth” here. [...]

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:00:27 +0000

“Mother Nature had other plans…”

Imagine that.

By: Dang Global Warming - or lack thereof « Benjamin Euler

Dang Global Warming - or lack thereof « Benjamin Euler — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:16:44 +0000

[...] Global Warming – or lack thereof From Challies.com: NBC Crew Stranded in Arctic I just love this story. A NBC film crew went to the Arctic to report on the lack of ice but have [...]

By: John Nicklin

John Nicklin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:04:26 +0000

JoeH

Just curious, what does this mean, “we’ll remind you this is a French-Canadian ship”?

It is a Canadian Coast Guard ice breaker. He is probably referring to the majority of the crew being French-Canadian, which is likely the case. On the east coast and northern routes, the vessels often have francophone crews.

By: syncrodox

syncrodox — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:18:52 +0000

Saul

Those are Suzuki polar bears. As such they have been trained by legions of granola eating, hemp cloth wearing environmentalists to tread water.

What we have found though is that the bears find hemp hard to digest. The Suzuki Foundation is therefore looking to outfit it’s volunteers in more environmentally friendly clothing. The local Inuit have suggested seal skin snowsuits with “chum” filled pockets.

All in all it looks like the bears will survive…..unless we run out of leftards.

Syncro

By: Saul Wall

Saul Wall — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:12:09 +0000

Why didn’t those media guys jump in and save those poor drowning polar bears in the last photograph? Heartless cowards.

By: JoeH

JoeH — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:56:41 +0000

Just curious, what does this mean, “we’ll remind you this is a French-Canadian ship”? Yes, Canada does have a French-speaking province but this seems to imply the Canadian Coast Guard might have just Canadian ships. Why would one need a French-Canadian ship on the west coast for example?

And this seems like rather gratuitous comment by the reporter, “In Canada, the Coast Guard is civilian, not military.” God forbid the evil military be associated with life saving.

Last, there’s this, “To our eye, it’s roughly, 10 by 12 feet. A thin curtain is the only thing separating us — and our dignity.” Another reporter who’s never been in the military.

Ok, this is the last comment/question, I wonder what their carbon generation was for this trip? Did they purchase off-sets? Just askin.

By: New Brunswick Barry

New Brunswick Barry — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:42:17 +0000

This “reporter” has been on board the Amundsen for three weeks and still manages to get it wrong that the Canadian Coast Guard is part of the “Department of Oceans and Fisheries”? Doesn’t anybody fact check anymore? As almost any Canadian could tell you, Peter, it’s DFO, DFO, DFO — Department of Fisheries and Oceans. No big deal? Perhaps not, but you only got it freakin’ backward, that’s all. What does that say about the factual quality of any of your other “reporting”? Maybe the real story is global cooling, not warming. Oh…whatever.

By: Dan Lee

Dan Lee — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:18:30 +0000

In 1500’s – 1600’s the popular notion was that the arctic was a warm place. They reasoned that if the sun shone there 24/7 for a good part of the year, it must be nice and toasty, and most importantly, ice free. Early voyages north even reported back ‘evidence’ to support this, finding driftwood or plants that looked tropical to them.

There is a good-sized body of historical work on the search for a passage through the arctic to the spice islands. Maybe these warming researchers should have read some of it while waiting for their pastry chef to make them some more goodies. They might have learned that Hudson in his wooden boat got 300 miles closer to the pole than they did.

By: Bill Junga

Bill Junga — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:36:02 +0000

Gee, maybe the media actually believed their own press reports and thought the Arctic was turning into a tropical paradise!
Maybe, eventually, they will get the idea that maybe, just maybe, that AGW is a big hullabaloo over practically nothing!

By: Jeff B.

Jeff B. — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:42:35 +0000

No, I doubt these folks will retain any lessons. Those of us who actually read all sides of the climate change issue and allow ourselves to be persuaded by science and not politics, are learning lessons. Those in the media and on the couture environmental scene don’t want to be convinced of anything, they just want to continue with their political agenda.

By: John Riddell

John Riddell — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:03:06 +0000

Gardy LaRoche

you said

“Nature is cruel”

but it isn’t.

It just doesn’t care.

But I agree with the rest.

By: Andy Beasley

Andy Beasley — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:59:47 +0000

The Coast Guard actually serves a dual purpose. While its structure is military and it falls under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it has legal authority to interdict on the navigable waters of the United States (i.e. arrest people). The military is prevented from doing this within the United States by the Posse Commitatus act. Whenever you hear about a US Navy ship capturing drug runners, the action is under the authourity of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard personnel are actually in charge of the capture and must be present during boarding operations. The navy cannot stop ships on its own authority except in times of war and then the best way to stop a ship is with a torpedo. As stated earlier, during times of war the CG is transferred to the navy and operates under that authority. Sean G, I agree. I never went that far North; but, I did get my Shellback underwater and missed Golden Shellback by about 150 miles. We couldn’t get permission to deviate from our box. Oh, well

By: EJ

EJ — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:32:32 +0000

Sounds like quite the adventure.

Wish I could be there.

I have to wonder though, why the need for 40 scientists? I kinda think I would rather have a few scientists and 35 wanna bees. Are there going to be 40 different studies from this expedition?

It is most probably a poor description by the author.

One question, why did they quit filming over two weeks ago? Wouldn’t being stuck in the ice be ‘noteworthy’?

Inquiring minds …………….

By: Mike86

Mike86 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:41:02 +0000

A bit OT, but I was reading “Glory Road”, by Heinlein, and was struck by this statement: “From 30,000 feet the North Pole looked like a prairie covered with snow, except black lines that are water”.

I know, it’s SciFi and it’s pretty old (1963), but he likely got the mental image from something. Black lines from 30,000 feet would be pretty wide…

By: Dave the Denier

Dave the Denier — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:56:25 +0000

Give them another week stranded and then they’ll post a video of Peter driving a Big Wheel through the ship’s hallways and on deck, saying “Redrum” over and over.

It is difficult to feel pity for these naifs — pastry chef, or no pastry chef.

By: Sean G

Sean G — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:27:46 +0000

Cramped quarters in a 10×12 room? A pastry chef? If they want to get sympathy for the privations they are experiencing, they should try visiting the arctic aboard a submarine! LOL.

It would certainly make it easier to transit…