by charles the moderator
Many of you know me by my sometimes flippant moderation comments here. Sometimes concern is expressed over my anonymity since Anthony occasionally berates some who comment here for hiding behind anonymous Internet handles. Anthony long ago accepted my personal reasons for maintaining my anonymity and I have personally contacted others who expressed concerns and have given them explanations to which no one to date has refused to accept.
I am the head moderator here, with administrative as well as moderation privileges. I supervise the other moderators and sometimes publish posts, or correct typos as needed. Despite the accusations from Drs. Mann, Hansen et al., I have yet to meet my corporate overlords, view my directives from above, or receive a single cent for my hundreds of hours of services.
Here’s the story of how I was one of the very first to see the CRU files and what transpired.
On Tuesday November 17th I was at my desk, browsing the web and moderating at the same time when the now infamous post came in from user FOIA at 6:25 PST.
We feel that climate science is, in the current situation, too important to be kept under wraps.
We hereby release a random selection of correspondence, code, and documents.
Hopefully it will give some insight into the science and the people behind it.
This is a limited time offer, download now:
http://ftp.tomcity.ru/incoming/free/FOI2009.zip
Sample:
0926010576.txt * Mann: working towards a common goal
… and so on.
As I noted previously in The CRUtape Letters™, an Alternative Explanation, when I saw this comment I immediately embargoed the comment and placed warning brackets around it for the other moderators. I have been a ‘net user long enough to be very very concerned about downloading files off a Russian server, so the first thing I was concerned about was that this was an attack on us and our users. I downloaded the file and scanned it for viruses and Trojans and it came up clean. Then I stated viewing the contents and once I saw what we had, I started firing off emails to Anthony who was in Europe at the time – such as this one less than 2 hours later:
From me:
It looks real. It looks like it contains code from MBH 98 to CRU indexes. It has over a thousand emails.
And this a few minutes later.
From me:
No bad stuff detected. This from a real mole or one of the most elaborate hoaxes ever produced.
emails from Mann, Briffa, Jones.
Reviews of papers by Jones. Code and much much more.
Anthony Watts – wrote:
ok you’ve opened it I take it? No virus or trojan detected?
A
I talked to Anthony on the phone and we decided not to go public until Anthony returned, for all sorts of reasons including potential legal issues. In this first couple of hours I also burned a CD for Steven Mosher and gave it to him, and I also contacted Steven McIntyre. I swore both of them to secrecy until Anthony returned from Europe and he could be fully involved in the process. At this time none of us knew of the upload to realclimate.org or had noticed the “a miracle just happened” post on climateaudit.org. We believed we were exclusively sitting on The Pentagon Papers of our decade and had no knowledge that links were disseminated elsewhere.
For the next day the two Steve’s were constantly on the phone, with Mosher reading email after email to McIntyre. I had not given the link to Mosher as I was trying to control any traceable spread of the information. We had no idea where this was all headed and caution was in order. I made Steven Mosher promise to not electronically send a copy to Steve McIntyre, but I gave him a CD he could ship to McIntyre as long as it arrived after Anthony had returned from Europe. They were extremely anxious to go public and Mosher kept begging me for permission and my response was very low key. “If this is as important as it appears to be, then two or three days won’t make any difference, besides, we need to keep my word to Anthony”.
Then on the morning of the 19th we became aware that CRU was in lockdown mode and sending word that files were circulating on the Internet. I immediately found the comment on Jeff ID’s site by simply doing a Google search on the ftp site link. Jeff hadn’t noticed this post because he was out hunting during the above period. This was a game changer, CRU was trying to lock down the files and we were not exclusively in possession. Anthony was in the air about to land in Dulles but the cat was now out of the bag and Steve Mosher started posting on Lucia’s blog and about the same time I posted an email on Bishop Hill’s blog in the Caspar and the Jesus paper thread under the username devilinthedetails. I believe Steve Mosher may have contacted Tom Fuller around the same time.
Just as this was all breaking open, our anonymous leaker expressed concern that their revelations were being ignored or missed, a comment which I no longer have as I overwrote it with the following:
[A lot is happening behind the scenes. It is not being ignored. Much is being coordinated among major players and the media. Thank you very much. You will notice the beginnings of activity on other sites now. Here soon to follow. ~ ctm]
Now I get to go all Andy Rooney Paul Harvey [D’0h! ~ ctm] on y’all. Many wonder why I selected Steven Mosher to be the first recipient of the files. Well, I knew he was eminently qualified to examine them, much more qualified than myself. Proximity was also a factor. Steve Mosher is my roommate. So I saw him sweating on the phone with Steve McIntyre for a day and a half while I was calmly making coffee in the kitchen espousing patience. And since this story is too important to have any contributors remain anonymous, my name is Charles Rotter and I live in San Francisco. And that’s the rest of the story.
CTM –
I don’t think it totally off the wall to exclaim that your (and others) vetting of this may have saved the global energy economy from wreckers and looters – but there’s a good chance that this scam might have gone on long enough to severely impact every country in ways that would have made it very difficult for everyone.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I bow humbly in your direction.
It’s been put to me that, despite all the excitement about the CRU files, there is no evidence the computer codes therein were ever actually used to produce published material. As such, it’s a big fuss over what could be effectively doodles.
I can’t believe this however. As a relative novice to this world, can someone tell me what the actual concrete allegations are. WHAT published reports or articles contain plots thought to be generated by the codes in question, and what conclusions did they come to as a result of the plots?
Reply: I would ask that question over at The Air Vent, but I believe people like Jeff ID and Steve McIntyre are just getting started on all this. ~ ctm
Sorry I’m a bit late.
Great Job Charles and when your next in my part of the UK I will buy you a drink mate.
Thanks for sharing the timeline. By the way, my name really is Ron and I actually live in far north Texas, about 60 miles north of Dallas. Anyway, it would appear that the whistleblower worked hard, indeed. And if the russian server couldn’t be traced back to a server at the CRU, that means someone had to go in physically with a zip drive or a few thumb drives and actually save a portable version of the files and then link up later from somewhere, maybe a wireless location, to that server. And while you guys showed due diligence to check for authenticity, I think the CRU told on themselves, accidently verifying the authenticity. Anyway, it’s important that people see these things. When this brand of science is being used to re-structure our freedoms, I personally feel the right to know about it.
Charles:
Personal courage and integrity – nice mix. My full name is Dave DeAngelis, BS in Chem from MSU, living in TN. I really walk small around here, I’m no scientist and I’m not doing groundbreaking research in this area, so few comments, mostly praise or jokes. I do disseminate the parts I take and learn from here and Icecap and other sites (mainly) in USA Today as Dave the Denier. Lord knows that liberal, countrywide rag, needs a more balanced perspective.
I hope my understanding of the issues and my choices about which to stress at any given time are actually a help to public opinion. While I suppose Iwould never be asked, I am a great debator – I would even accept the title master debator. 😉
The only reason I toot my own horn is that I feel someday a debate or regionally many small debates may be taking place. If we wish to do well, we should stage mini debates, practice and assess whomever should be put up. In the 5th grade I defended slavery vs. freedom when we studied the Civil War – had to, teacher assigned it to me as one group in 4 of the “segmented” (accelerated) groups. The twenty kids in my class, after the debate, voted that slavery was in the best interest of the blacks at the time and that the subsequent years of freedom following left them in worse care than freedom. My group was the only one to stand on it’s head – master debator! PLEASE, I’m not a racist, making a point only, maybe at 10 years old I should have protested the teacher and flunked…. If there is any organization around debate preparation, I am willing to help inwardly by arguing the other side in “mock practices” or on our the real side of skepticism. Would travel and would go on TV or Radio, if necessary – I would not enjoy it, but God gave me talent – and I believe in this cause of exposing the dishonesty.
Frankly, we’ll have to get off Fossil Fuels. But technologies will develop when they start to get scarce and more dear – the free market works. The problem is that we are probably not 1/4 through petrochemical global supplies, since we are using more and faster, we may be 1/2 way through in time, but not in scarcity. I believe this issue will become more germaine in 100 years, anyone who works with computers has an idea of how many “generations” of technologies will be discovered in that time – really think about human development 100 years ago, and the pace of technology is increasing, there is not one of us who can see that far out. We may invent a new, sustainable energy by then and call it anti-matter in honor of ST. These Taxes need to be stopped and Global Guilt need to be exposed as false.
Anyways, I’ve always respected the job you do, didn’t realize you were a volunteer!
.
[Reply: Yes, we’re all volunteers here. But Big Oil and Big Tobacco still send us our monthly checks. ~dbs, mod.]
Can we call you Chucky now?
First of all thanks for the hard work, although you’ve never had to moderate anything I’ve written (poor Steve M has).
Second, I have to say that I find all these conservatives fawning over a San Fran boi rather eye opening, and dare I say, poetic.
Fantastic work all, you should be proud
AJ – The Massachusetts social liberal, fiscal conservative independent.
Quelle histoire ! What a story ! Years ago, as I was watching the AGW folly skyrocket unchecked, I was losing faith not only in Science but also in us Humans who were allowing poor and possibly fraudulent Science to unfold. You guys stood tall and did something about it and I was privileged to witness it all. I don’t know if your work will eventually be officially recognized, but to me, it does not matter. As we say here in Quebec, I will always remember.
It is an Honour and a Privilege …
François
Keep up the good work!
There is no denial of it’s authenticity. But since it was obtained surreptitiously, it must be thrown out.
/sarcasm off
Sensational story….but my hunch is there is second chapter coming. This time hope you won’t wait too much to release it.
David Ball (17:38:20) :
C-Mod, you truly rock !! If you are ever in Calgary, look me up, I’ll buy you a Big Rock Ale or a Pilsner ( this is Pilsner country, after all )…. Dave
Reply: Hmmm..Banff in the early summer is not to be missed. ~ ctm
No it’s not, and if you really want to capitalize on beer consumption while in this neck of the woods Charles…drop me a line as well.
Many thanks again for all of your tireless efforts.
Manfred Kintop
ctm
Ya done good boy.
Back to work now.
Charles and Anthony,Thank you so much for all you do. I am sure you probably saved my kids headaches into the future by putting a sword into the AGW dragon. Iv’e been around–Los Gatos CA, NJ and now Atlanta. If you are ever in Atlanta please look me up. I would love to buy you a Sweetwater IPA and some good BBQ.
Hey Charles. you’ve come out of the climate closet! Nice to meet you and keep up the good work.
The snow is beginning to thaw in England today. Must be due to AGW, of course!
ctm,
Great job! Your time and effort does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I continue to be amazed at how fast posts are moderated through to the bog.
BTW, how tall is the person who photographed you; 7’8″? (2.4m for the ROW)
As always (think Motown), Anthony and the Mods are tops!
Hmmmm. “…the bog.” That’s not WUWT, that’s RC, I think. Sorry about that typo.
Probably should have put up a cryptic message for your leaker to understand, like Coming Soon.
Anthony, Charles
WUWT is my go to site ….. donating today. message to other posters: if you value this site you might want to consider monetary support ….
John Galt said, “There is no denial of it’s authenticity. But since it was obtained surreptitiously, it must be thrown out.”
However, under discovery and with the FOIA requests having been filed it is probably still available.
Is there someone going after Mann’s, et al, email via FOIA?
Thank you all. I absolutely love the analysis at: http://www.assassinationscience.com/climategate/
Well done! Maybe you and E.M. can get together in S.F. sometime. I hear tell he likes beer. :~D
“Edward Bernays opens his 1928 classic, Propaganda, with these lines: “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an import element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”
I think we have the firstest & bestest proof that his claim no longer is valid. Despite the massive orchestration of public opinion, stating with the Club of Rome and extending to the AWG scam, you guys have proved to be the stalwart David’s who have taken down the transnational environmental attempt to manipulate public opion.
Great work.
Charles,
Kudos as always to you, Anthony and the rest of the team that keeps this site running. It’s #1 for a reason, and you guys are it!
It was interesting to see the QC that went on behind the scenes. You’re no Dan Rather… and that’s a good thing 😀
Thank you Charles, Anthony, Steve and all for making me a witness to science history similar to but I suspect more important than Piltdown Man and the Scopes Monkey Trial. You all go into the history books. I think AGW is now over except for the shouting and government programs.
CTM,
Keep up the good work.
But can you explain the smiley-face in the bottom left of
the page outside the main WordPress frame when you make
the browser very large and scroll down to the last bit of the
page?
Lots of good people coming out of the closet tonight!
Lets hope we never live to wish we’d kept our heads down. But I work on the principle that the most nasty pieces of work peddling the AGW snake oil (and there are many) are certain to be able to finger you anyway, if they wish to do so. Especially in the UK, where the “Big Brother is Watching You” side of government is as well developed as anywhere outside North Korea.