You’d think, being academics and all, that Penn State’s internal investigation of Dr. Michael Mann would contact the people who raised questions about the MBH98 paper and the “hockey stick”.
Yes you’d think that. I’d think that, reasonable people everywhere might think that.
But this is the halls of stuffy academia. They don’t think like that.
Steve McIntyre reports that he hasn’t been asked a single question:
They didn’t contact me. The only inquiry that has contacted me so far has been an anti-terrorism officer seconded to the Norfolk Police who interviewed me about FOI requests and my views on climate change. Nor have any CA readers notified me that they’ve been contacted by the Penn State inquiry. I wonder who they interviewed. I wonder what they meant about “looking at issues from all sides”.
But there’s plenty of “plan B’s” apparently lined up, read this report from the Penn State Collegian
One for example, was previously covered on WUWT:
“…anything short of the absolute pursuit of science cannot be accepted or tolerated.”
I hope I’m wrong, I hope the inquiry asked tough questions.
If Mann is the only one they talk to, then, no, nothing was done wrong
As the wider matter continues to unravel, if Penn State does not do an adequate job of investigating Mann’s academic behavior, their reputation will be negatively impacted farther down the road.
They may “hide” this for a little longer, but the current trend is clear. The planet is not heating up at all, and the public is becoming aware that AGW is a leftist scam to increase government and bring down capitalism.
Q4in the poll gives me the he-be gee-bees.
I wonder if Penn replied to the Senator who voiced concerns.
Once again, nothing will happen to these guys because their sponsors would look bad. What a shame we have come to this. I think back to all the folks that have been fired for much, much less than this. Frustrating.
If they don’t fully investigate the issue and provide a white wash,
no matter.
AGW isn’t happening. It will continue to get colder, and the Penn State officials who fail in this task will be remembered in a side note of Bubble history.
And hopefully, a very special place in the afterlife.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/01/leaked-emails-climate-jones-chinese
Typical ivory tower idiots there in PA. Mann sits at the top of that total-idiot (or is it Dr Evil-idiot) totem pole (with apologies to our native American populations for the totem reference).
He should be drawn and quartered… professionally speaking, of course. But he won’t be. I predict there will be some weasel word sorta’ mea culpa, and he’ll be back at it by springtime.
Just proves: DON’T SEND YOUR KIDS TO PENN STATE. Their science sucks.
Only 7 per cent believe that justice will be done. Alas, we are a cynical bunch!
We didn’t really expect Penn state to cut their own throat in pursuit of truth, did we? I didn’t. I truly hope I’m wrong, but after watching this AGW issue from the beginnings, I’m very cynical of these institutions of “higher learning”. I’ve considered them part and parcel of the warming hysteria. Of all the academia, worldwide, how many of them actually pursued the truth in the matter? How many challenged prevalent thought of the day?(We can probably count on one hand.) And now, we hope that they’ll admit culpability? Not in this day and age, there’s to much money and prestige at stake.
Clearing Mann’s name with this will go a long way to clearing his name in the future when anything he says or does gets called into question. This victory will be held-up as a “get out of jail free card.”
I don’t think that Dr. Spanier is the type to box himself and his university into a corner.
http://president.psu.edu/bio/
I will be surprised if the investigation finds Mann innocent of all charges.
Mike Ramsey
IIRC, someone from the state of Pennsylvania sent the university a warning letter telling them it better not be a whitewash or else they’d do their own investigation. Having said that I voted for #2 like most folks. We’ve seen over and over how these fraudulent occurences are trying hard to be whitewashed so why should this incident be any different?
Lets see, the world wants reassurance that the exorbitant time and money so far expended on AGW is not wasted. Just like Mann’s “scientific” process, we will now see the appearance of intelligent, unbiased investigation while all the time the conclusion is foregone and the facts will be warped to fit. And then everyone can breathe a sigh of relief (not too deep though as this will increase levels of CO2 alarmingly) and get back to the ‘real science’ – making other square pegs fit in their round little holes.
More obfuscation, more damage control, more spin. All paid for by unwitting public purses.
It doesn’t matter. When they shakedown alums for donations, it will get expensive. As donations fall, they will have to replace the Chancellor. If let’s say just one out of 5 alums that are players says he is out, he will be out even if there is an internal whitewash.
(greenwash)
This surely isn’t so much an investigation into Mann’s actions as it is an investigation to see how much dirt is already on the table, and by extension, how much they’ll need to own up to. Of all the emails I read, he was discussed by others more often than he was actively participating in the fraudulent discussion. They’ll try to exonerate him if there is any hope of doing so. A lot depends on pressure from the DOE.
There may be some token slap on the wrist for being an uncouth fellow, but they arent going to endanger millions in grants with any serious charge.
Penn State is investigating itself, the results will follow that fact.
I would not write off Penn State just yet; they have a very good reputation in science.
If what is reported about how the inquiry is to be conducted is true then those doing the investigation are guilty of a conspiracy and should be charged accordingly. Conspiracy laws do exists and can be used in such cases.
O, what cynics we are.
Been around academia far too long to see the University risk missing out on the recent million dollar grants Professor Mann has received.
Penn State might uphold the legal processes, but who says the law is ever about justice or the truth?
Penn State is (allegedly) investigating MM, and Steve McIntyre has not been asked even ONE question ?? . . .
You can already see what the end point is likely to be.
Not even seeking comment from Steve McIntyre is absurd… That’s no investigation !
That’s a big red flag in my book. Can’t believe PSU would take the path of lower ethics to save face and grants. Very risky in this environment where spotlights are pointed at every aspect of the “business of AGW”.
Not even the NAS calling his Hockey Stick study ‘poor science’ slowed him down. What makes anyone think that Penn State can stop him?
Wonder what the money sponsors will think. From email 973374325.txt
BP, FORD GIVE $20 MILLION FOR PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
EMISSIONS
STUDY
Auto.com/Bloomberg News
October 26, 2000
Internet: [1]http://www.auto.com/industry/iwirc26_20001026.htm
LONDON — BP Amoco Plc, the world’s No. 3 publicly traded oil
company, and Ford Motor Co. said they will give Princeton
University $20 million over 10 years to study ways to reduce
carbon-dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. BP said it will give
$15 million. Ford, the world’s second-biggest automaker, is
donating $5 million. The gift is part of a partnership between the
companies aimed at addressing concerns about climate change.
Carbon dioxide is the most common of the greenhouse gases believed to contribute to global warming.
London-based BP said it plans to give $85 million in the next
decade to universities in the U.S. and U.K. to study environmental
and energy issues. In the past two years, the company has pledged $40 million to Cambridge University, $20 million to the University of California at Berkeley and $10 million to the University of Colorado at Boulder.”
Yes, I realise the list does not include MM’s university, but Big Oil is not silly.