NASA GISS, a division of Vandelay Industries?

Some days I find things by accident. Today, researching for something else online, serendipity paid me a visit.

Fans of the hit sitcom “Seinfeld” may recognize this logo.

Vandelay_climate
Image: Tshirtbordello.com (with some help from the Gimp)

Fans of the show may also recognize this restaurant:

Photo: Wikipedia entry on Seinfeld – Tom’s Restaurant – click for details

Fans of Real Climate might recognize this man:

NASAs Gavin Schmidt
NASA’s Dr. Gavin Schmidt in front of the famous Seinfeld restaurant “Monk’s” at 2880 Broadway, New York City. Photo: Christy Field, The Guardian

OK by now you are probably thinking, “Anthony has gone off his rocker. Where is this going?” Well, to be honest, I just want to share a little fun.

Have your ever wondered why over at RC, it seems to be like some sort of weird sitcom? There’s a reason for that.

Observe.

The address for the famous Tom’s Restaurant aka “Monks” is, via Google Maps:

Toms_restaurant_Google_maps

The address for the famous Goddard Institute of Space Studies aka “Real Climate” is, via Google Maps:

NASA_GISS_Google_map

Yes, that’s correct. They share the same address. The NASA GISS office is above Monk’s, not that there is anything wrong with that. But, it might explain some things. Although I’ve been following the climate products from NASA GISS for years, I never thought to look at their “about” page, mainly because I’d never have a reason to visit. You see, I’m a persona non grata there. But amazingly, here it is right on the GISS page:

GISS_directions
Click to visit the GISS web page

While I’m no architect, doing a little reading up, I think we can see where Jim and Gavin’s offices are, though I could be wrong. Gavin’s may be on 112th rather than Broadway.

Here’s a Google Earth street level view of 2880 Broadway:

GISS is located right aboive "Monk's - Click for a larger image
GISS is located right above “Monk’s – Note – the offices are just guess on my part based on who  might get the best windows – Click for a larger image

From the GISS web page above, they give a description of the main entrance to the Goddard Institute of Space Studies at 545 West 112th Street. It is rather plain. Here’s what it looks like:

Click for a larger image
Click for a larger image and details

So now that we’ve established that GISS and RC  is connected to “the show about nothing” you can use some of the best lines from Seinfeld to refute a number of common arguments put up by Gavin and the RC team.

I’ve complied a list of commonly seen issues and phrases used on RC and appropriate rebuttals from Seinfeld characters:

  • The data has been adjusted, why can’t you comprehend it? – “If it’s in the garbage, it’s garbage” – Jerry
  • Send it to my email and I’ll have a look – “When you control the mail, you control information!” – Newman
  • This year is the hottest ever! – “It’s gold Jerry. Gold!” – Bania
  • Ban Ki Moon and the IPCC says so. – “Butros, Butros, Gahli!” – Jerry
  • I’m not going to use McIntyre’s name, he doesn’t deserve the credit. – “That’s not funny, how about ‘your cranium called…it has space for rent!” – Elaine
  • Come back when you understand climate science – “NO SOUP FOR YOU! COME BACK ONE YEAR!” – The Soup Nazi
  • This is why your argument [snip] – “I won’t tolerate infestation!” – Frank Costanza
  • Sea level, ocean acidification, it’s all obvious! – The ocean called, they’re running out of shrimp! – Reilly
  • Check the peer reviewed literature. – “Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” – Jerry
  • Your interpretation is totally wrong! – “Oh yeah? Well I had sex with your wife!” – George
  • The data hasn’t been updated, do you think all we do around here is sit around and wait for GHCN to update?  – “Significant shrinkage.” – George
  • The tree ring based temperature reconstruction has been reviewed and proven correct time and again. – “Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake!” – Elaine
  • It is “robust”.  – Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, – Elaine

Also, this coming December 23rd, I plan on sending Gavin a calibrated aluminum pole to help him and Steig measure sea ice thickness.

Readers may wish to send a card also, listing grievances.

  “Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake! Fake!” – Elaine
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118 Comments
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MarcH
October 22, 2009 12:56 am

Yamal…that’s some magic loogie.

Bulldust
October 22, 2009 1:22 am

Yo Mods… what gives… you gonna steal my line?
For more material see:
http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/

David Jay
October 22, 2009 1:23 am

J.H. – I think the climate version is: YADa YADa YADa
[sorry, Yamal Joke ;)]

Mike Bryant
October 22, 2009 1:31 am

“It’s not a lie, if you believe.” – George

Cassandra King
October 22, 2009 1:35 am

NASA GISS is simply following the route of all organisations trying to peddle a political belief while remaining at arms length, set up a media outlet where they can push biased and iffy/dodgy information that because of their status and funding they would not be allowed to peddle without accusations of bias and bad practice.
Its a very clever way of doing it isnt it? The two are the same with the same views and information exchange in reality but the two have to be seen as seperate from each other, at least on the surface.
I believe the CIA used front arms length mouthpieces to further its ends, as did the KGB/MI5-6.
Lets just imagine that both groups sit down together all the time to work out a combined strategy by sharing information that other groups are excluded from, lets also imagine that while one group couldnt publish data because it would breach standards, the other group could.
Of course this kind of grubby secret media manipulation and scheming wouldnt go down too well with federal oversight regulators would it? Unless of course those oversight mechanisms were sabotaged first.

Dave Wendt
October 22, 2009 1:40 am

I love the sign next to the restaurant window
HOW
AMERICA
KNOWS
WHAT
AMERICA
NEEDS
Do you suppose that represents the GISS mission statement?
But seriously Anthony, multiple midge posts, “edible pets”, and now Seinfeld, you seem to be developing quite a scampish streak lately. I hope your continual battle with the forces of alarmism isn’t finally driving you to drink.
Although, as cousin George, of that other old sitcom might say, “At least now you have something to thank them for!”

Terry
October 22, 2009 2:05 am

No they’re not Larches on 112th, they are definitely Bristlecones.

October 22, 2009 2:07 am

I wonder if Kramer went upstairs to develop the “BRO.”

AndyS
October 22, 2009 2:11 am

I wish you hadn’t included the picture of Dr. Schmidt as it reinforces my (no doubt unfounded) prejudice against the man. To paraphrase the old Nixon-era caption,
” would you buy a used data set from this man?”

October 22, 2009 2:12 am

It seemed to me that the shop to the left of Tom’s Restaurant was named “Carbon-at” or something like that. Maybe that is where they got the idea, I thought. On closer inspection it seems to be Card-o-Mat http://www.cardomatnyc.com/ . I still wonder if it has been a source of inspiration though, since their website explains they are “Showcasing an unprecedented selection of hand picked cards by its owner, ….”

Tenuc
October 22, 2009 2:28 am

“Jerry, just remember, it’s not a lie if you believe it. ”
There are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Clive
October 22, 2009 2:30 am

I’m not a TV viewer but manged to view a few Seinfeld’s in my time. A grand goof of a show. Great stuff. And finding this connection between Seinfeld and NASA is priceless. Thank you!
My brain is wracking (racking) to come up with some sort of connection here to the line They are real and they are spectacular. (You either know the line or don’t. ☺) … maybe Jim Hansen in drag saying that line. Or him saying that in response to the Hockey Stick or the IPCC climate models. The mind boggles.
Or something about when Kramer was having trouble with his sperm count and started going “commando” … without underwear. Must be a good line there somewhere. ☺☺
It is all very surreal and weird.
Good find. ☺

SOYLENT GREEN
October 22, 2009 2:53 am

“No soup for you!”

Roger Carr
October 22, 2009 3:21 am

Clive (02:30:41) : “They are real and they are spectacular.”
INSTANT replay, with video, in my head, Clive!

Alan the Brit
October 22, 2009 3:32 am

Just for fun, read this about global protestations for Sat 24th October organised by 350.com et al. I just love the confession McKibben makes about it all being a religeon!
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ivX49jD-XThrt8StuRPQAYNLzueA
Enjoy.

October 22, 2009 4:12 am

savethesharks (22:36:00),
Servants are people you voluntarily pay for services. Bosses are people who make you pay for services whether you want them or not.

Curiousgeorge
October 22, 2009 4:39 am

Anthony, this is great stuff! You should make sure that Glen Beck or O’Reilly at Foxnews gets a heads up on this. It would make a great segment on the show. 😈

Richard111
October 22, 2009 4:57 am

Hmmm… In the UK this is known as stirring. 🙂
There may be consequenses.

Tom in Florida
October 22, 2009 5:12 am

I wonder if Lloyd Braun works there.

Curiousgeorge
October 22, 2009 5:14 am

Also worth noting the proximity to that liberal bastion, Colombia University (4 blocks away). Hmmmm. Just sayin. 😉

Bulldust
October 22, 2009 5:28 am

Tenuc (02:28:22) :
There are lies, damn lies and statistics.
I think, speaking from econometrics experience, modeling should be added to the end of that list.

BROOSE
October 22, 2009 5:29 am

Seinfeld show ended in 1998. It was still hot up to then but the comedy/hockey stick had to end somewhere. Unless of course if Seinfeld/AGW is real.

Editor
October 22, 2009 5:31 am

I have another few quotes sets here..
Sea levels are rising quickly… “He’s not spongeworthy” – Elaine
Arctic sea ice will disappear entirely in the summer, if CO2 continues to increase, with
devastating effects on wildlife and indigenous people. – “Why don’t we just switch apartments?”, “Or I could sleep in the park.” – Kramer and Jerry, in “The Chicken Roaster”
If we cannot stop the building of more coal-fired power plants, those coal trains will be death trains – no less gruesome than if they were boxcars headed to crematoria, “You are the only one who understands me.” “You suffer for your soup.” – The Soup Nazi and Kramer, in “The Soup Nazi”

MJC
October 22, 2009 5:34 am

FINALLY! My stupidity has paid off.
George

Indiana Bones
October 22, 2009 5:43 am

“Ten years of misery. I’m just grateful for residuals.” Jerry
On a lighter note:
“Our Choice will pick up where An Inconvenient Truth left off and provide a blueprint for solving the global climate crisis and drawing on Mr. Gore’s 40 years of experience as a student, policymaker, author, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and activist.”
LA Weekly

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