Recently we saw how an environmental activist managed to convince a BBC writer that the story he wrote had to be changed to reflect what the activist perceived to be the “correct” view.
Now we find that Dr. James Hansen, director of GISS, has done the same, and on NASA stationery no less. Read the entire letter here courtesy of the “Friends of the Earth” website.
Because Hansen wrote on NASA stationery, it becomes a public document, which we can view here. For that reason, I’ve posted a backup copy here, just in case the original disappears or changes. See hansen_letter.
Writing to Houghton Mifflin Company, Hansen asks for changes in the textbook to reflect what he considers to be the truth and consensus:
Apparently, there is no room for debate in the classroom on these issues. Apparently also there is no uncertainty. Hansen also makes a mention of “so called activist scientists”. I think he proved the point about activist scientists quite well with this letter.
What is most curious, is that in letters Hansen has written in the past, such as to the Prime Minister of Australia, he uses his home address in Kintersville on plain paper, and in his reply to a coal company executive on Columbia University stationery, but puts his NASA title on it. This makes me wonder how he chooses which stationery to write what letter on, and how to sign it.
Maybe it is just a byproduct of all that censorship by the Bush administration:
Source: Roger Pielke Jr. Prometheus
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I have already sent a email to NASA Goaddard about this blatant misuse of office
But the textbook is for “Advanced High School students.” That in itself should warrant a satisfactory explanation for his concern.
Man, that guy is nuts! In his letter to the Australian PM, he says:
Err… I don’t recall reading anything like that in the IPCC reports.
hansen and his messiah complex are really, really getting annoying.
Why is this sort of activity no surprise ?
So let me get this straight :
In Dr Hansen’s view he is correct because documents either written by him or his close colleagues or that have used source material supplied by him and his close colleagues agree with him.
I’m shocked that a text book would take a balanced look at the issue of how greenhouse gases affect climate. Maybe we should write letters to the company supporting the text as is.
The book apparently takes the counterpoints of the official position, even seems to characterize those who say that there is a warming as activists. And yes, there is an official position, it has been stated by the IPCC (at the UN level), but also by the national academies of sciences of many countries (at the national level), the American geophysical Union (at the scientists organizations level) etc …None of these official statements support the excerpts of the book produced by Hansen.
Now of course that does not mean that you’re not entitled to take another position than the official one. But if you do so, you can expect an official reaction (official letter) by officials (Hansen is direction of GISS, member of the national academy of science, etc …). I don’t think there is anything irregular here. The only uncertainty is what is really the content in the book and are the excerpt really representative or his Hansen over sensitive.
Hansen has cracked.
I see an asymptotic approach to a bifurcation or tipping point by the end of this decade in the graph of Hansen quotes versus time.
As far as I know, there’s no law forbidding the NASA GISS Director from writing to a textbook publisher expressing his opinion. It’s his right to do so.
That aside, for those of us here who do not agree with Hansen’s actions, I’d suggest writing letters to Houghton Mifflin Company and kindly ask them:
1. to recall that a Sceptic Climate Conference just took place in New York last month
2. for the opportunity to make a presentation of the “sceptic” side of the science
3. for the opportunity to make presentation on how Hansen runs his shop, and collects and evaluates temperature data (go for it Antony!)
4. to invite Hansen to debate a renown sceptic scientist, like Richard Lindzen, or whoever
5. and that this debate take place at a public high school in front of a 1000 or more students.
If Hansen is so sure of his science, then he should have no problems accepting the challenge to debate. Only a coward would run from such a challenge.
Ah, there really is an expodential growth function in climate science.
Well, if anyone knows about “censorship” and “stifling”, he does.
I guess Hansen figures that what’s sauce for the proper goose is sauce for the propaganda.
Oh dear. Those offending books will need to be burned lest they get into the wrong hands.
Your post is once again important and timely. As a former teacher, it gripes me to see these attempts to shift the language of scientific uncertainty in secondary classrooms toward the more emotionally charged, politically correct language of activism.
As for Hansen’s capitalization on his position to be more visible, what can you say? He’s got his big, gorilla mits on everybody’s usufruct.
I realized there seems to be a major correlation between news stories and GISS temps and the slope between the two is not just coincidental.
Therefore there is a 90% consensus that James Hansen in the news directly causes Global Warming.
Please could somebody do a statistical evaluation?
(Actually that is meant as a joke, but there may be more truth to that.)
“The textbook’s authors repeatedly attempt to cast doubt on the accepted science of global warming.”
Wow, what a statement! What’s this mean? That all of the science supporting GW is accepted and beyond reproach? That they ignore the unaccepted science? That GW is now a science rather than a theory? Something else?
Seem like the letter’s author has repeatedly attempted to cast doubt on the struggle for a true understanding of climate. Physician, heal thyself.
Thanks so much for exposing this nonsense. I have written to NASA Administrator Griffin and to my two senators requesting that Mr. Hansen be stopped from using his official position for this kind of political advocacy.
Hansen is disgrace to science and an embarrassment to his employer.
We all know how successful the last attempt to try and get him to temper his personal opinions was. He not only abused his position, but got George Soros’ goons to threaten legal action.
NASA needs to fire this guy. If the next admistration wants to hire him back, that’ll be their call, but Hansen is clearly out of control.
Virgil M Said:
“I’m shocked that a text book would take a balanced look at the issue of how greenhouse gases affect climate. Maybe we should write letters to the company supporting the text as is.”
I agree. In the meantime Anthony, I’m taking the liberty on forwarding the letter accessed through this blog, to the FNC’s Brit Hume, the Heartland Institute’s Joe Bast, Fred Singer, and a few others I know. But before I do, are we certain this isn’t a hoax? It’s beyond the pale that two of these “faux pas” should turn up in two days!
Jack Koenig, Editor
The Mysterious Climate Project
http://www.climateclinic.com
REPLY: As Stan Needham pointed out in his comment, it is referred to in this newspaper article in his hometown paper. So it appears real enough.
Pierre said”
“As far as I know, there’s no law forbidding the NASA GISS Director from writing to a textbook publisher expressing his opinion. It’s his right to do so.”
Expressing one’s opinion is guaranteed by the US Constitution. But using the office of a public agency in such a manner as to infer clout and retaliation is not. His second to last and last paragraphs carry the heavy hand of government intimidation!
Jack Koenig, Editor
The Mysterious Climate Project
http://www.climateclinic.com
Dell, you just made my day. I read your comment and nearly fell out of my chair laughing.
On a side note, you probably ruined my roommate’s day, as I laughed so hard I am sure that is what woke him up.
That was quite funny.
The events leading up to this story made our local paper as an AP article a couple days ago.
(snip)
And here’s the kicker:
I’m with ‘Gal’ on this one. We need to know if the book really is quite so strongly sceptical as Hansen suggests in the letter. If it is, then given the ‘official’ position it would be quite unusual for him not to complain. The fact that many here don’t believe in that official position doesn’t mean he’s abusing his position in doing so.
Anthony Said:
REPLY: As Stan Needham pointed out in his comment, it is referred to in this newspaper article in his hometown paper. So it appears real enough.”
Good enough for me! I also sent it to Morano.
Jack Koenig, Editor
The Mysterious Climate Project
http://www.climateclinic.com
I think Paddy said it best. Shoutdowns, however couched in flowery rhetoric and printed on official NASA letterhead are indicative of the pressure Hansen et. al. are beginning to feel from a growing number of real and unconvinced scientists and laymen.
As Anthony noted, the persistence is paying off.