Dr. James Hansen of NASA GISS arrested

Boy, Daryl Hannah has really let herself go!
REPLY: READ THE PHOTO CAPTION

Maybe this will lead to his firing finally. There has to be something in his employment contract pretaining to not being a criminal.
I doubt anything will happen to him though. He seems to have a protective bubble around him.

Knowing he can’t win a debate on AGW alarmism Jim Hansen is switching his efforts to mountain top removal. He will then debate this and prove by proxy his AGW concerns. It’s a common alarmist tactic. I’ve had people try to prove AGW concerns to me by proxy with anything from evolution to the theory of gravity. I kid you not… the theory of gravity.

I really didn’t like a US govt employee like Hansen coming over here to the UK to stop a legitimate and desperately needed power station from being built.
However removing mountain tops doesn’t seem the most environmentally sensitive way to mine. I can’t get too angry at Hansen for this one, but please just keep him in the US will you?
Tonyb

Eeeewwww !. This is the face of International environmental awareness.

Hannah & Hansen – now that’s a dynamic duo.
NASA – Now will you fire the guy? This isn’t some young fresh kid just out of college, engaging in activity almost expected of a twenty something junior researcher. This is criminal activity being engaged in by a prominent and leading member of the NASA community.

From a fantastic photo of an amazing event (Sarychev Peak Eruption) to a terrible picture (their heads are cut off) of a farce. Does Hansen keep a log of hours off clock so they can deduct it from his pay? Not that it matters much. He does no good when he does do what he is paid for. double_Rant

Since when has it become illegal to protest? Of course it looks bad but come on. Did he jump the wrong fence or what?
REPLY: From the AP story I linked to:

“State Police said about 30 people were charged Tuesday afternoon after they blocked State Route 3 near a Massey Energy subsidiary’s coal processing plant in Raleigh County.”

It is illegal to block a state road for the purpose of protest. – Anthony

A childish act of futility usually engaged in by people who feel marginalized, powerless and disenfranchised. So, the chief climatologist at NASA feels he has no significant influence. He’s obviously delusional and perhaps even disturbed. Of course he has influence. But it’s apparently not enough for him.

If only we could convince West Virginia to do everyone a favor and keep the guy in jail for a few years. [snip]

“NASA – Now will you fire the guy?”
NASA doesn’t read this blog – it has actual science on it.

Okay, hehe, I guess that was a little to graphic. But everyone can figure out what they would do….

I think he’s a true American. He’s standing up for and defending what he believes, despite the fact that many of us find his viewpoint to be incorrect. I have to respect that, even though I personally disagree with the man.
It’s a shame that more people haven’t had the courage to stand up across the country and protest against AGW legislation, TARP, increasing government control and spending, tax increases, etc. The USA needs a powerful and widespread show of our opinions, and the only way the government might listen is if 10 million people decide to show up in Washington and clog the streets, sleep on the Mall, and recite the Constitutional principles on which this country was founded so many years ago. Blogs, editorials, studies, reports, petitions–these are not the means by which we Americans can ever hope to regain our former freedoms. They should serve merely as a rally point for those who have the desire to save America from the few who seek to shackle us.

Sigh. We live in a society where we mail in protests now. A Filibuster in the senate used to require an iron bladder. Now they mail it in. The original point of civil disobedience was to get arrested AND DO THE TIME to make your point. Everyone wants to be a martyr, no one wants to sacrifice.

Hansen is achieving exactly what he wants, media attention. I guess the debate is off.

And I thought it was about CO2, now they’re complaining about Moutain Top Removal … What was the problem again?
MikeEE

I’m sorry to say that but WUWT’s website is sliding to the same path Mr Hansen has chosen – it’s going to be overly politicized soon too, by simply keeping the pace with Mr Hansen’s latest deeds, or reporting what he did or not.
It is the same trick the leftists/US liberals/Reds plays on conservative/rightists. The first are on the ofensive, the second on the defensive. That’s why the first ones are so tough nuts to crack.
If skeptics/WUWT go the road of Mr Hansen they will step in the same furrows of bad politics. Tertium non datur.
Best regards
REPLY: I get this same lame complaint any time I post something where science has been politicized. I’m not the one politicizing science, Jim Hansen is, Gore is, Waxman is, and a bunch of other people. If you don’t want science politicized, complain to them. Meanwhile I will continue to report on major events such as this, because…drum roll please, my masthead says so.
“Commentary on puzzling things in life, nature, science, weather, climate change, technology, and recent news by Anthony Watts”
There ya go, “recent news” and “puzzling” fits this story, as in why would major scientist degrade himself this way? Don’t want to read about it here? Go someplace else then. I cannot please everyone, nor will I try. This blog is about what I find “interesting, puzzling, and current.”
– Anthony

Aubs-It’s called the Hatch Act:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatch_Act_of_1939
As a NASA employee, by acting as an advocate, he is in violation of it. He has been in violation of it at least since he campaigned for John Kerry. Rules are rules, the law is the law and it applies to everyone (in this case civil servants) and the law says he should be out of a job.
The Bush administration didn’t dare touch him given all the “Censorship” whining from other perfectly legal oversight of him. So now who expects the new administration to do so? One would certainly hope that enforcement of the law by the executive would be beyond politics, but this isn’t the case, at least since Jackson expelled the Cherokee.
“Judge Marshall has made his decision-now let him enforce it.”

It’s simple. Hansen is a government-employed scientist. What he was doing today was making a political protest. If he wants to continue to protest, he has that unalienable right, but he should first resign his Nasa post. The two positions are mutually incompatible.
Incidentally, I’d be interested to know what Nasa pays him for. Is it for a 40-hour week in a lab, or is he given paid time off to protest?
There may be any number of good reasons why the project in question should/should not be shelved, but Hansen is clearly using his position at Nasa and defying the law to gain maximum publicity…possibly on taxpayers’ time.
It’s just not right.

bill (15:39:08) :
Just because Hansen is against “mountaintop removal” does not mean you have to be for it. Think!
Once it is gone you’ll never recover what you have lost
Sorry, but I have no emotional attachment to rocks.
And perhaps you’d like to consider how the irresponsible actions of people like James Hansen cause (or will cause) the price of energy to go up, and what that might do to those who can afford it least.
Once a human is gone, you’ll never recover what you have lost, either.
Humans or rocks? Didn’t require much thought on my part.

I feel kinda sorry for the man. Thanks to the ‘muppet show’, I came to terms with my dyslexia. For a man that used to be in charge of ‘pulling the strings’ it’s a sad reversal of roles.
Sigh.

for the person who asked “is protesting illegal?”
Hansen and his followers knew that protesting isn’t illegal, and therefore a simple protest wouldn’t generate the kind of news photos they wanted. They went way out of their way to guarantee they got arrested so they could have their “trophy photos”. That’s why they blocked the road. Block a road with a group of people anywhere and refuse to move, and you’ll get arrested.
This whole thing is a kind of sick kabuki theatre.

I think this calls into question his integrity. If he is willing to break the law in order to publicize his environmental agenda do we really trust him to provide an accurate assessment of the temperature record?

The global warming religion has a new martyr.
That is what he was looking for.

AlexB (14:53:59) :
Knowing he can’t win a debate on AGW alarmism Jim Hansen is switching his efforts to mountain top removal. He will then debate this and prove by proxy his AGW concerns. It’s a common alarmist tactic. I’ve had people try to prove AGW concerns to me by proxy with anything from evolution to the theory of gravity. I kid you not… the theory of gravity.
I call it “Conflation of Issues”. It is a sure sign of confusion and guarantees several things.
[1] The issues are poorly identified.
[2] The root causes of the Issues are not identified, (may be hidden, or wrongly ascribed).
[3] Due to [1] and [2], solution design is faulty.
[4] Solution implementation is ineffective in addressing the Issues.

I’m not a big fan of mountain-top mining either, but some of the protest comments seem a little over the top. I grew up in West Virginia in an area that appears similar to Sundial. I think the easiest thing for the coal company to do is build a new school. It would be a relatively small investment (compared to coal profits) and the community would be happy.
What many people like Hansen and Darryl don’t understand is there are not many opportunities for decent paying jobs in that part of the US. Shut down the mining operation and a lot of people will slip into complete poverty. I’m proud that the miners stood up for their right to work instead of rolling over and playing dead for media celebrities.
I’m sure that sludge pond was carefully engineered and approved only after much review. Yes, coal is washed before it’s shipped to remove dirt and coal fines. The nasty stuff in coal is locked into the coal and not really a big concern. The power companies have to deal with the nasty stuff when the coal is burned. Without research, I suspect the sludge pond (really a settling pond) was sized to hold all the sludge from what will be mined and washed. Solids settle to the bottom and the water on top evaporates. Eventually, when the coal is exhausted, you’ll end up with a less deep valley than existed before and a hill that is somewhat shorter.
I can assure you that this mountain-top mining will be linked to the burning of coal. Coal is so nasty that it messes up both our land and air environment. Forget that it supplies a large percentage of our electric supply and keeps thousands of people employed. The poor souls who live and work in West “by God” Virginia are not important, right?
For the record I work for a company that has been pushing coal gasification forward. Gasification is the cleanest way to use coal for a multitude of products from electricity to plastics to fertilizers. The threat of harsh CO2 regulation has stymied the use of gasification in the US. We can capture CO2 at a reasonable cost but don’t know what to do with it afterwards. Neither does our government or anyone else. I know people involved in solar, wind, and ethanol power and they all admit (off the record) that it is not even close to a solution. Short term carbon fuels and long term nuclear is what will sustain our standard of existence. To believe otherwise is a fool’s game.
I have researched both sides of this CO2/global-warming and concluded that it is less than junk science. Our money grabbing scientists and politicians seem intent on destroying the greatest economies that have ever existed. I’m glad I’m old so I don’t have to watch the entire world slip into third world status. My advice to the young: Learn how to farm, hunt, and preserve your food for later consumption.
Jesse
Author: Siam Nights, Cold Rain, Tears For The Thai Girl, Blame It On Bangkok
Edit this as you deem necessary.

Our President said this today. Yesterday they praised him for bringing back science.
“At a time of great fiscal challenges, this legislation is paid for by the polluters who currently emit the dangerous carbon emissions that contaminate the water we drink and pollute the air we breathe,” he said.
I am waiting to see how the CO2 in my beverages gets called pollution. Dangerous at that.
Mr Science question. If carbon is both black and dirty, what color is CO2?

bill (17:00:59) :
“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money”

I hope we will realize first that trees eat CO2 and fish eat phytoplankton that has eaten CO2 dissolved in water.
That charcoal was atmospheric CO2 that was fixated by plants back in the carboniferous period and now we are burning it, completing the CO2 cycle.

Boy, Jim Hansen has really let himself go.

RoyFOMR, Jim HAnsen has nothing to do with Jim HEnsen (of Muppet Fame). Sorry if you were joking, but I wanted to make sure no one actually thought the same wonderful person who brought the muppets to life has anything to do with a NASA scientist (well, at least someone who claims to be one, I should say).
Especially since Hensen has been dead for almost 20 years now, RIP.

I posted this at Lucia’s, as well.
I am not a fan of MTR either, but…much of the mining in the world is open pit mining, which is really the same as MTR, only INTO the ground.
I am not sure of Appalachian environment laws, but I would be very surprised if the law did NOT require the company to put the land back into an “equivalent use” state.
Most US/Canada environmental laws are more or less in sync by treaty; both environmental and economic treaties.
In Alberta, all sites; gravel pits, mines, temporary roads, logging sites AND oil sands; need to be returned to “equivalent use” state.
Its not quick, but trees don’t grow overnight. Average remediation time is estimated at 20-50 years.
Companies are required to post an environmental bond, to cover the cost of remediation. If the company goes bust, the bond is used to pay for the work.
All companies in Canada, also pay into an industry mandated “orphan fund”, to pay the cost of remediation if the original company, and its bond, are unable to cover the costs. Most of this “orphan fund” money is currently used to repair damage from pre-legislation work. Some wells in Turner Valley are from the 20s and 30s, and the company that did the original damage is long gone.
The cost of remediation in the Oil Sands is not that high, at about 20,000 CAD/acre. Assuming 10,000 bbls oil/acre, it works out to about $2 per bbl of oil recovered. This is less than 3% of current selling price.

[snip-I believe this analogy should be avoided ~ charles the moderator]
I think we should rethink the campaign to have Mr. Hansen removed from office with this bit of history in mind. I suggest that leaving him exactly where he is will make the task of turning public sentiment around on AGW easier to accomplish than having him removed from his public position would. Even if add the population of true AGW believers together with all who are dedicated to a more skeptical point of view, you still have a very small minority within the general population, most of whom have neither the interest or intellectual skills to evaluate the scientific arguments on the matter and tend to unquestioningly accept the arguments from authority that are the warmists stock and trade. If Mr. Hansen’s bizarre and buffoonish statements and actions continue to escalate, it will become increasingly obvious to everyone that the “authorities” behind all those claims of “settled science” are not exactly what they have been claimed to be. In fact, I suspect, if we don’t take the bait and scream for his removal it won’t be long before a, perhaps somewhat subtler, movement arises from the other side to get him out.

oakgeo (17:24:12) :
So I am certain you would feel the same if a government health and human services official was arrested protesting at an abortion clinic?
How do you suppose Mr. Hansen can serve as both an advocate and an objective scientist? Rhetorical – he cannot.

This is a very disturbing development, and it shows why this guy seems able to get away with stuff that gets other, better people fired. Modern coal mining is basically horrendously damaging, but with millions of dollars of PR and an expensive facade of ‘rehabilitation’ that simply does not restore the productivity of the land nor its usefulness for wild animals living in a natural habitat. So, what better plan than to get arrested for protesting that, whilst holding aloft the global warming banner? Many people are not capable of distinguishing separate issues, and there will be a lot of pro-alarmist kudos coming from this smart move.
Don’t underestimate the shysters, and don’t think that just calmly putting out the truth will necessarily be enough to defeat them.

“At a time of great fiscal challenges, this legislation is paid for by the polluters who currently emit the dangerous carbon emissions that contaminate the water we drink and pollute the air we breathe,” he said
POTUS- said that.
Fiscal Challenges – Created by whom- The Carbonistas of an Energy Economy or the Promises of the Ponzists?
Legislative Payers-The enemy of the people who clothe, employ, transport and house us or those that simply legislate to rake the table?
Dangerous Carbon- is that the unrecognised oxymoron of the scientific illiterati or merely the twitterings of moronic monologues?
Contaminate the water we drink+pollute the air we breathe- Neither is palatable and wrt CO2, neither imay be relevant – Spend Trillions in fighting a non-enemy- and thus neglect real-foes, may make an uncomfortable read in times to come.
Sir, You are a leader, an inspiration to all. I know, as you do, that you are not a Scientist. Not a problem- but, for the sake of posterity – Ask yourself one question- Can I really trust these Guys?

Ron House (18:08:56) : ‘rehabilitation’ that simply does not restore the productivity of the land nor its usefulness for wild animals living in a natural habitat.
Following this reasoning we can’t build cities anymore either. What happened to all the natural animal habitat that was lost where New York City now sits? No matter where humans live, or have lived, animals are expelled from their habitats. This coal mine, and all other mining, is the same.
If there is an alternative to cities and coal let us know about it now.

Locri (17:44:50) :
RoyFOMR, Jim HAnsen has nothing to do with Jim HEnsen (of Muppet Fame). Sorry if you were joking, but I wanted to make sure no one actually thought the same wonderful person who brought the muppets to life has anything to do with a NASA scientist (well, at least someone who claims to be one, I should say).
Especially since Hensen has been dead for almost 20 years now, RIP.
Locri, You’re right on three counts at least. One, I was joking. Two, Mr HEnsen was a genius. Three, Amen and God rest his soul.
In my defense, if I have one- albeit in seeming bad taste, it was the ‘string-pulling’ and role-reversal that Mr J. HAnsen has undergone that I wanted to bring into parody. I would like to think that Jim Hensen would have appreciated the irony.
No disrespect was intended to our joint hero- I’m fairly sure you didn’t take it that way- but, if anyone did, I unreservedly apologise.

timetochooseagain says:

The Bush administration didn’t dare touch him given all the “Censorship” whining from other perfectly legal oversight of him.

Wally has already pointed out that you misinterpretted the Hatch act. However, you are also incorrect in regards to the “perfectly legal oversight” of him. The NASA inspector general report () concluded:

Our investigation found that during the fall of 2004 through early 2006, the NASA Headquarters Office of Public Affairs managed the topic of climate change in a manner that reduced, marginalized, or mischaracterized climate change science made available to the general public through those particular media over which the Office of Public Affairs had control (i.e., news releases and media access).
…
Further, it is our conclusion that the NASA Headquarters Office of Public Affairs’ actions were inconsistent with the mandate and intent of NASA’s controlling legislation—the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 19581 (Space Act) and NASA’s implementing regulations—insomuch as they prevented “the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination” of information concerning NASA’s activities and results.
…
Regarding media access, our investigation confirmed that, contrary to its established procedures, the NASA Headquarters Office of Public Affairs declined to make one of NASA’s scientists, Dr. James E. Hansen, available for a radio interview with National Public Radio in December 2005.

RoyFOMR (17:13:23) :
Przemysław, we have a problem. These guys fight dirty, their opinions are infinitely defensible against logic, empirical observations and appeals to reason. Hubristic certainties and self-aggrandizement- given the stakes involved- trump honesty.
I know. But it just happens that those who should be despised for what they did are becoming celeb persons, then leaders of many wacko movements, like Hanoi Jane. Just recently I have seen her mug on TV ad here in Poland. Perhaps Mr Hansen aims at Senate post? Who knows. Instead of being spit at he will represent the Nation. That’s the way the world goes on, not only “American world”.
I beg your pardon but I think you lose. The U.S. is on decline path – Beltway elites stopped listen to or pay attention to the voters’ voices many years ago. The present Socialist Regime in Washington will pass the damn Climate Bill without asking anyone. IT IS ALL ABOUT the DARNED MONEY! Cap’n’Trade is at stake! Zillions of bucks for elitists’ vaults! The Dems are not stupid, why not to grab the chance to earn money-for-nothing and according to law? Only bloody riots could force them back. And even that possibility was processed and preparations were made.
U.S. Republics turned to “democracy” some time before, now she hit the bottom turning into “tyrrany of democracy”. Mr Hansen wants to roost his chicken in this mess. And he will do it whether you will discuss his deeds for one day or for a full month. It will change nothing, that’s why I wrote my words – it’s simply a waste of time to ponder Mr Hansen’s behavior.
Best regards

Perhaps when the coal is exhausted the residents of the area could rework the mine into some thing like this.

For information regarding reclamation of surface mined land, look at the Kentucky Elk restoration project. Former MTR lands have been reclaimed with native grasses and now have the largest elk population east of the Mississippi River. Other wildlife, too, have flourished. I don’t believe we will ever see Mr. Hansen or Ms. Hannah in this beautiful area for any photo ops, lest it be to protest an elk hunt (now required to maintain an ever growing herd).
http://www.trailsrus.com/elk/

Cap and Tax will be voted on in the House on Friday. Looks like the Demos have their votes lined up.
But we can all relax now because “a new EPA analysis showed that it would raise household energy costs on average only an extra $80 to $111 a year.”

since the start of human history, we have had our work tied to mining. when will it end? when will people realize that there more to be gained by NOT mining?

Sorry. See here for reclaimed land for elk restoration.
http://www.trailsrus.com/elk/reclaimedlands.html

He did not campaign as Jim Hansen, regular guy, but as James Hansen, AGW prophet and NASA genius scientist. “Vote Kerry because he will deal with AGW, which is a problem and I should know, I’m James Hansen”. What would be the point of campaigning as a regular guy?
Don’t waste my time with the censorship BS…this has been dealt with before, he was whining about nothing.

Dave Wendt(17:56:11) :
“I think we should rethink the campaign to have Mr. Hansen removed from office with this bit of history in mind. I suggest that leaving him exactly where he is will make the task of turning public sentiment around on AGW easier to accomplish than having him removed from his public position would.”
I agree. Hansen is gradually descending into a world of delusion and his recent appearances do more harm to the alarmists than to the skeptics.
In regard to the real subject of Hansen’s appearance in WVa, many of the above posts object to MTR because of it’s impact on the environment in general and the local fauna in particular. It’s hard to read some of the extreme environmentalists’ concern for the wildlife without sensing a collateral contempt for us mere humans.
This past week my 4-year old grandson came down with Lyme disease caused by a tick bite. The tick, the carrier of the disease, more likely than not picked up this spirochetal bacteria from the local deer population which has expanded greatly in the Northeast thanks to various layers of protection afforded these seemingly benign creatures. You’ll pardon me if I don’t share the deep concerns of those who would favor the proliferation of the wild animal population over homo sapiens.

Hansen has lost his mind. Is he having problems in his marriage?

My impression is that ordinary everyday people are no longer impacted by these stunts. In the early days of the enviro movement, it may have made the news, now it only really makes if it is a slow news day. If a celebrity makes an appearance, people are more likely to criticise their dress / makeup than their commitment to the cause (am I just cynical?). My guess is that there are more hippies living up trees now than ever before (google Forestry protests = 326 000 hits). It is a rite of passage.
Now to really get yourself noticed James … http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6548107.stm – that’s what I call dedication to the cause.
I know that coal comes from open cut mines. I enjoy the electricity generated from it. I know cfl bulbs contain mercury and are made in China which must have one of the worst environmental records. I still have to buy them now that the alternatives are phased out in Australia.
I am employed in an industry that uses portland cement – a significant CO2 emmiter in manufacture but we also use flyash from coal fired power stations that helps reduce cement use. It pays my salary and my taxes. I also believe we should tread lightly wherever possible – it is the only planet we have.
As far as 2 deg C of cataclysmic climate change goes, I have always lived in locations where the average temperature is between 18deg C and 21deg C with annual ranges from 0 deg C minimum to 40 deg C maximum and I can assure you it is quite liveable and I perfer the heat to the cold.
Seriously, as long as we live in a consumer driven society that promotes and values on going consumption, there will be steady demand for all things that emit and offend. Those of a more radical outlook will continue to enjoy the benefits that come from participation in this society whilst righteously sniping from the edges. That doesn’t make them the enemy – but it helps us redefine the middle ground.

Hank (20:18:39) :
Hansen has lost his mind. Is he having problems in his marriage?
Enough already. Too many are trying to accuse Hansen of making this a political stunt.
It is scientific from the get go. Daryl Hanna is providing scientific peer review for his works.
She has risked her life coming to support a fellow scientist. Daryl would not risk a blemish on her c.V. for this cause if it fell short in any way.
Move along now.

He was Big, now he’s small. Let the scoop be of the same dimension as of the person he has become, doing what he do lately.
I didn’t realize this before now, but now it seems pretty obvious — I surmise that NASA scientist Jim Hansen wants to become a martyr for his cause. Before, I thought he was just a science geek who went near the edge, but I’m thinking now he wants to make it look like others have pushed him to this. Going out in a blaze of glory, being fired from NASA for one civil disobedience or another may be the only step he now feels he can make. Or the biggest statement.

Quoting oakgeo:
“Does employment preclude activism?”
Commenting:
Yes, it does, if you work for the federal gov’t.
Mike Griffin got canned (I believe) for his refusal to accept the global warming hoax. That much is crystal clear and completely unjustified.
Hansen could be fired for a number of real, legal and justified reasons, but he won’t be.
That much is completely corrupt and abundantly hypocritical.
As I said before, the future of space exploration will be in private industry.
NASA is now a pale image of a once noble enterprise.

Mountaintop removal is just the “new rage” term for open pit mining. Open pits have been used to produce needed mineral resources for over 100 years.
The alternative to these are underground mines where miners by the hundreds (or thousands) die worldwide every year.
Open pit mining, in addition to being far safer, is also much less expensive, thus allowing cost efficient extraction of low grade mineral deposits.
Decommissioning of open pit mines in the US, Canada, Australia and other civilized nations of the world is a requirement. While these sites are not likely to be mistaken for natural landscape features by a knowledgeable person, they are not unpleasant to the eye.
Old open pit mines that were not decommissioned in the modern fashion, can be difficult for most to differentiate from the natural landscape features in temperate areas. Less so in deserts and tundra.
Hansen is just using the look of of an operational mine to create an impression that coal mines, in addition to killing the planet with their produce, are ugly scars on the landscape, and thus an environmental eyesore.
Luddites all, Hansen and his minions will not be happy until all the rest of us are removed from the planet. That will allow him and the 10,000 eco-idiots to live quite happily in a stone age existence.
I say drop them off in the remotest corner of the most remote wilderness and let them try and survive without their computers, cell phones, and electric cars. Don’t waste money or time letting them languish in the jails.

Can this guy really be trusted to look at the facts with a skeptical eye (as is a requirement of good science) and to manage the temperature record without biase? If they put realistic evapotranspiration values into ModelE and found it cancelled co2 induced warming for example, would they publish this and put there hands up and say oops silly me?
If they find a station reporting falling temps I suspect it would be investigated as this is “odd” but stations showing warming are assumed “correct” as this is what is predicted?
People with predetermined outcomes in mind will not look at both sides of the data fairly, as their view is skewed. Hansen has proven his view is very skewed and he is as much an environmental advocate as he is a scientist. Though he is welcome to express his personnel views, I only hope they do not effect his work, as there is a definite conflict of interest.
Firing him may be excessive, but an independant review should be carried out to assess whether or not he is capable of being un-biased and independant in his work. If there is a conflict of interest he should be put to pasture somewhere out of media attention.

It seems to me that the proper course of action is for the state and local authorities involved with this protest and the arrests that followed to send a bill for the entire cost to NASA. The public call to come and get arrested attracted others to this protest, and Jim H. should get the credit (and bill) he deserves. I really don’t think the citizens of West Virginia should have to pay for it, and as has been pointed out earlier, it’s only his position as a NASA scientist (Formerly a scientist? Should I call him an activist instead?) that enabled him to attract celebrities and others to the protest. If NASA is OK with Jim Hansen’s actions, they should foot the bill. If they aren’t, they should fire him.
West Virginia is not one of the richest states in the USA, and they can hardly afford the cost of celebrities coming in from out of state to waste precious resources. Let NASA pay for the entire cost incurred to the various agencies. If NASA refuses, take them to court.
Dan

I’m curious if Hansen has a security clearance? The arrest would need to be reported, and could potentially jeopardize his job if a clearance is required for the position. The Hatch Act is being misinterpreted and, from what I’ve read, it has never really been invoked anyway. Security issues, and this would clearly be a security issue, are taken very, very seriously, however.
Mark
*Seriously enough that people usually report themselves when they’ve committed an infraction. Better to admit it and get a slap then fail to disclose and get it revoked, which is a permanent condition.

“Meanwhile, back at the RealClimate ranch today, the sound of crickets…”
have not looked at real climate for a while but looks like i have not missed much. They have a post every week or so while wuwt has two or three a day. Looks like it got quiet after the weblog awards or is it that since the science is settled there is not much to say.

Joel
Good post, but like Smokey I am still waiting for your article.
As regards Hansen’s protest, this is the right climate war but perhaps the wrong PR battle on which sceptics should fight it? Surely there are plenty of other battles coming up we would all feel more comfortable fighting-and yes of course I understand the politics involved here.
Still, these are your mountain tops and your environment, and at least this stops him coming over to the UK causing trouble 🙂
Tonyb.

[snip- over the top, sorry]

Wonder who removed Mt St Helens’ top for example? Praps he should lead a protest against him (or her).

“Meanwhile, back at the RealClimate ranch today, the sound of crickets…”
Apparently, the downturn (cooling?) in their recent postings is “..because of the preparations for the next IPCC assessment and the need for our group to have a functioning and reasonably realistic climate model with which to start the new round of simulations”
A functioning and reasonably realistic climate model? Well, that would be a good start! I wonder what they had before..?

Anti snip mode – on
How can someone who holds the highest office in the United States of America utter to the entire World a statement about Carbon Dioxide polluting water? Coca Cola want to reply?
If he were in the UK [ his comment would be considered a possibility in the junior schools] so he would have to write out 300 times……..
” I must not open my mouth and put both feet in at the same time!”
Any of his staff to be seen wincing in the TV background?
But then we have George Brown….. Doh!
Reply: You get the self control award of the day. ~ charles the moderator

You don’t become the head of NASA without being smart. Getting himself arrested was the perfect way to avoid the debate.

You guys are just going off in the wrong direction: there is so much derision with respect to Hansen that the blinders are hard to remove.
The issue here is simple: removing the top of a mountain. Anyone ever seen it? This is exactly analogous to dumping pollutants into rivers.
I’m very pleased that at least someone famous [or maybe famous in his own mind] is standing up for this appalling activity.
Cut the guy some slack and enough of the ad hominem. Agree or not the guy has balls to stand up for what he believes.

@Brian Johnson uk
“We have George Brown – Doh!” Sadly not, we have the Gordon version; at least George Brown used to make us laugh.

The AGWers could make a huge difference. Just stop uisng energy. Simple. If they’re in the majority that should make a huge difference. Those who advocate population reduction should set an example by reducing the numbers by one immdeiately.
If these people want to lead they should lead by example and do the decent thing.
keep up the good work Anthony. More Agwers pop up here now and don;t they juts say the most amazing things! If this wasn’t such a hugely important issued it would be pretty entertaining.

Tom_R: “If James Hansen is willing to be arrested to support his belief in Global Warming, why wouldn’t he also be willing to doctor the GISS data to support that belief?”
How can you compare protesting to doctoring data? Obviously you have not used your freedom of speech to the full extent that you are allowed… or do you live in Iran?

Michael Spencer (04:26:52) :
well said.
Not sure about the second para though.
Destroying the American wilderness is no different to the rain forest destruction in other countries. it is WRONG.
James Hansen is willing to put his future on the line for his beliefs. This is admirable. Why was Lord Monkton not there driving the bulldozer at the protestors?
I am truly appalled at some of your responses.

Mother Nature removes mountain tops all the time. They are called volcanoes. That humans would help out nature AND benefit mankind should be applauded. Hansen is an out of control ass who should be examined by a mental health professional.

Michael Spencer (04:26:52) :
“The issue here is simple: removing the top of a mountain. Anyone ever seen it? This is exactly analogous to dumping pollutants into rivers.”
Utter rubbish. It is not.
bill (06:08:25) :
Michael Spencer (04:26:52) :
well said.
Not sure about the second para though.
Destroying the American wilderness is no different to the rain forest destruction in other countries. it is WRONG.
James Hansen is willing to put his future on the line for his beliefs. This is admirable. Why was Lord Monkton not there driving the bulldozer at the protestors?
I am truly appalled at some of your responses.
A hilltop (hardly a mountain, please) in W.VA is hardly the “the American wilderness”. The state may have a rep for being hillbilly backward, but not that backward. Some of you must still live in naturally hollowed-out caves, and missed the last 1000 years.
“…putting his future on the line for his beliefs” is only admirable when the cause is just, his future is truly at risk, and his beliefs have the weight of moral truth. He fails on all three counts. For a man in his position of trust, that’s not admirable, that’s an abomination.
As a mammalian ecologist, other than for possible aesthetic reasons, I have no scientific problem with flat-topping a hill. Get over yourselves.

One of the greatest liberties that any people can have is the freedom to speak out on matters of conscience. This freedom should be inviolable.
It is important however to remember that freedom comes with responsibility and that although one is at liberty to speak freely, they must also be willing to suffer the consequences if their speech is false, misleading or causes others to come to harm.
While I do not feel that Hansen should be fired, I do think he is knowingly distorts the truth and should answer for this. I am satisfied that he will eventually be shown to be what he is, and will suffer the humiliation that only time can deliver.
PS: I still would like to see Hansen and his Luddite friends dropped off in the middle of nowhere rather than jailed (or fired).

It is a great statewide radio talk show (called Metronews Talkline) every day from 10:00 to 12:00 noon. Look for “Metronews Talkline With Hoppy Kercheval”.

I suggest you get John Ziggler on this facebook thing…
FireJamesHansenl.com is what we need

It looks like the debate between Hansen and Blankenship will not happen. They cannot agree on a time.

I believe that when you hire on as a federal employee, you are told that being involved in political activist activities are a firing offence. He is a representative of the U.S. Gov. and is restricted from this kind of activity.

Dr James Hansen ROCKS! He’s one of the brightest, intrepid and down to Earth scientists that NASA employs. The fact that we are burning more coal is awful, the fact that it is spitting out mercury that poisoning the air and the ocean effects all of us. Rock on Dr James!

Jim Hansen has this arrangement with the New York Times. Hansen does something newsy and in return the Times prints his name in the paper for him to read. It started a long time ago when Andrew Revkin of the New York Times decided Hansen was going to be his source for an environmental story- since then it’s been a long love affair. … Personally I think Revkin needs a new source. The wheels seem to be falling off the story of Jim Hansen. His life is starting to resemble an episode of the Simpsons. Not to say it all isn’t entertaining but how about something a little more fresh for news pages … How about Monckton! Peer of the realm (hereditary-no less), striding onto the scene, inserting himself into the aftermath of a supreme court case (the state of Massachusetts v. the EPA (quite a story itself and whose comment period has just ended (http://www.regulations.gov))), waving his 50 red flags of scientific fraud, invoking the name of Eisenhower (hero to Europe if not the U.S.) alerting us not to become captives of a “scientific-technological elite” (in Eisenhower’s terms), pulling the pants down off of agency heads and doing it all in the coolest manner and with the most cordial of tones.

Wow. I can’t believe the number of people who want Hansen fired for his opinions and advocacy thereof. He’s not passing himself off as any kind of NASA or government spokesman; what exactly is the problem with his use of his right to free speech?
You don’t like his views? Too bad.

I am shocked!
Does this disregard for environment extend to the various rainforests that are being burned. Afterall “its only a few trees”.

“Gary Strand (08:22:19) :
Wow. I can’t believe the number of people who want Hansen fired for his opinions and advocacy thereof. He’s not passing himself off as any kind of NASA or government spokesman; what exactly is the problem with his use of his right to free speech?
You don’t like his views? Too bad.”
Let me break this down for you. The issue is separate here. He has no right to trespass on business property and interfere with commerce.
If you don’t like your bank, tell us. You will be arrested if you take cameras and a movie star into the vault and interfere.
Your strawman is getting him “fired for his opinions”/
No it is getting fired for illegal physical behavior. Free speech doesn’t grant free trespassing rights. I can disagree with the Pres. I can’t throw tomatoes or shoes.

It’s called civil disobedience, and Hansen has as much right to engage in it as anyone else.

Note to people that are comparing Dr. Mike Griffin’s departure from NASA to James Hansen.
Dr. Griffin is required to submit his resignation as he is a Senior Executive Service (SES) member that serves at the pleasure of the president. Dr. Griffin was not fired, he was simply not reappointed by the new administration that wanted to put their own team members into place.
As someone with a LOT of inside insight related to why Dr. Griffin was not reappointed, his position on Global Warming was a quatanary consideration at best.

“Does Hansen’s civil disobedience actually stop Hansen from doing his day job effectively?”
I think it might – whose time was he on when the photo was taken? If he books leave when he’s out protesting, he must have racked up quite a few days this year!

Yeah, yeah yeah, Hansen has balls. We all see that … He’s thinking with them.

Granted, I’m not real fond of wearing a diamond on my finger if it was taken from the depths of a mountain. On the other hand, diamond dust is very important and is used in several important industries. Created diamonds and created diamond dust will eventually take over the inventory of diamonds. Which is fine by me. But energy is another thing altogether. I can easily live with some people telling me I can’t wear diamonds. I cannot so easily live with some people telling some of us we cannot have access to the energy needed to earn a living. Ending the mining of mountain tops for baubles? Don’t have a problem limiting this. Ending the mining of mountain tops for energy? Whose livelihoods should I disallow? Which country should be told to regress into 3rd world status? How many people will I allow to die?

Gary Strand (17:27:16) :
Jim Hansen sure is a lightning rod for some folks.
————————————————————
That is his intention. His often ludicrous claims are designed to intentionally annoy people. He’s one of those people who must believe that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
It’s protest theater and everyone gets to play a part. Continuing the metaphor, Hansen is playing the biblical prophet (or the guy in the sandwich boards that proclaim “the End is near!”, depending on your point of view) in this little drama but, unfortunately for him, he’s little more than a bad actor.

Apparently, the only thing that gets a government employee or politician out of office these days is to, shall we say, have more than one ride. Join an illegal protest? Get arrested? Fudge on some numbers? Do sloppy research? No problemo.

Again, I regret the day I voted for any Democrat and will not do so again unless said Democrat has publicly stated his or her opposition to AGW and its cancerous side-shoots and has a voting record to prove it. I challenge any long-term Democrat who questions this science to do the same. I have written to all my representatives and have told them my position and what I will do if they vote for any of this garbage.

Alrighty, perhaps I don’t know the full details of the situation, but…what the hell are you people complaining about? Last I checked, we had the right to assemble and petition for the redress of grievances. Why should the guy be fired for exercising his Constitutional rights? Dr. Hansen sounds like a perfectly upstanding citizen of this great nation to me, standing up for his beliefs and making his voice heard, exercising the rights we’re guaranteed.

I fail to see how exercising a First Amendment right to express his opinion is a “partisan act.”

Peter Jones (03:02:29) : You don’t become the head of NASA without being smart. Getting himself arrested was the perfect way to avoid the debate.
Or, you don’t become the head of NASA Goddard without having exactly the qualities your real uber-bosses want in their front runners? What exactly is NASA really aimed at? I have heard that someone said, “the lie [in NASA] is different at each level”.
Perhaps it was a neat move. Inspire the aging Hansen to move from the AGW agenda whose cover is close to being blown anyway, into another activist arena that has a lot of real concern, a lot of ignorance and a lot of quick and sometimes onesided opinions here. Maybe it was an attempt to divide-and-rule those who generally support WUWT with solidarity. Or – let everyone forget AGW before IPCC/etc can get impeached – but meanwhile, Gore’s money has been made, etc etc. And if Hansen now becomes a martyr, well, a nice way to disguise the end of official AGW so nobody else in AGW loses face or gets noticed.
/cynic off

One of the more common tactics of the alarmist argument is to attack and dismiss any scientist who doesn’t support global warming as being in the employ of Big Oil or Big Tobacco or Big Business. But if a scientist is in the employ of Big Government and uses his position to further strengthen and enrich Big Government, it’s okey-dokey. Nah, there’s no conflict of interest, it’s just free speech. I am appalled by the hypocrisy of the warming crowd.

and mr hansen knows perfectly well that caps and trade is a charade. and he is very angry about it. he thinks that he was “used”.

As much as I severely dislike Hansen, the mountaintop removal thing–he has a point.
Mountaintop removal…there is something very dirty, very immoral about it.
That being said…too bad Hansen has already forever sullied his reputation by aligning himself with Gore.
The BIGGER issue here is a gov’t employee funded by the taxpayer…is out participating and inducing civil disobedience.
HE NEEDS TO BE FIRED.
There are plenty other bright scientific minds out there that can replace him.
Get him off the dole. That way he can politicize all he wants….but on his OWN money and time, not ours.
Chris
Norfolk, VA, USA

I live in the west, Washington State to be exact. I survived Mount Saint Helens. That was a doozy of mountain top removal. I also remember the long court battles between environmentalists who didn’t want the river clogging timber to be harvested and the logging interests. The trees were dead, they were clogging the rivers. Sadly, the environmentalists won the long way. They tied up the case with appeals until the timber rotted.

Smokey (18:44:53) :
RoyFOMR,
I would love to have Joel as a neighbor. It would give me the opportunity to show him the error of his ways. Might have to get him drunk first, though. You’re invited, too.
Wild horses couldn’t drag me away. You and Joel had better club together to upgrade your barbecues though. You’d better get in plenty of toner for your printers too. That guest-list will be as big as- as big as- a W-M congressional Bill!!

While Hansen is at it, he should picket Mother Nature, the ultimate destroyer of mountain tops and their glaciers.

I was just outside in my front yard, and man wearing the same outfit (hat, shirt, pants) as Hansen in this picture walked by my house. I actually started laughing out loud when I thought maybe he had to walk home from jail.