Sunday was speaker orientation and the evening reception/dinner. I met up with Willis Eschencbach, watched and listened to him play the piano in the lobby. I took some photos with my cellphone camera, but they turned out badly. Willis and I had an interesting talk with Gary Sharp about Tuna acting as ARGO buoys.
Apparently the Tuna have a daily habit of feeding near the surface, then diving deep, repeating the process later in the day. Just like the ARGO buoys dive then float to the surface, so do the Tuna.
Somebody (and I don’t recall who) is fitting Tuna with temperature loggers that take a measurement every 20 seconds. Gary says that prelim tunatemp data isn’t showing different than ARGO.
That prompted me to recall a old TV jingle (being in TV for 25 years my head is full of them) that some readers may remember but I added a twist when I recited it at the table with a musical lilt.
Ask any Tuna you happen to see, where’s the global warming? It’s not in the sea!
I thought Willis might need resuscitation he was laughing so hard.
I had an afternoon meeting where I saw some extraordinary data cleaning and homogenization methods applied to surface temperature data to clean up the train wreck that it is now. It was quite impressive and far better than anything I’ve seen from NOAA or NASA. It makes their QC look like, well, Tuna salad. Or maybe a PBJ sandwich.
I met many people, including Donna Laframboise of Toronto who runs “no Frakking Consensus“who seems much younger in person than shown in her photo. I met with E.M. Smith (Chiefio) and Verity Jones (Digging in the Clay) also, and sat with them along with Joe D’aleo at the dinner reception.
Steve McIntyre gave his keynote presentation on the “trick” at dinner, along with Apollo 17 astronaut and Geologist Dr. Harrison Schmitt who talked about his views on current science. Both were well received. It was carried on live video streaming. PJTV is providing live video coverage (streaming and otherwise) at the PJTV CLIMATEGATE 2010 MICROSITE.
Bob Carter gave me his new book to read Climate: the Counter Consensus.
I gave a couple of interviews today. The interview I had in the evening after the keynote dinner with an independent crew working for BBC on some documentary on “The Skeptics” was unscheduled. They caught me in the grand hall asking if it could do an interview. It started out pleasant enough, but soon deteriorated. They had no organization at all and had no idea where to shoot it. They suggested we shoot the interview in my room, because they wanted to have me set in front of my computer. I thought that was more than a bit forward and suggested the foyer, we got there, setup and then after starting decided they didn’t like the setting. They they suggested that we go to the media room (which they apparently just discovered) so they tore down and went there.
After a couple of false starts the questions started coming. I started to wonder where they were going with this, and when they started asking about what I thought about Dr. Phil Jones “wanting to commit suicide” I realized that it wasn’t going to be factual, but more emotionally spun. I told them flat out that question and what went on in Dr. Jones mind/intent wasn’t something I could or would comment on since I have no information beyond the press report.
These two independent filmakers were just kids, early 20’s and were struggling to come up with questions. They kept trying to get me to use the word “fraud” as applied to Dr. Jones. There were about five attempts to do so in questions, asking essentially the same question over and over again in different ways.
They also asked why climate skeptics are so “angry” and why there are so many nasty comments on forums. I pointed out that they should visit some of the entertainment forums where people talk about celebrities like Britney Spears etc if they wanted to see some real vitriols, and that nasty comments are a part of the blogosphere, particularly when anonymous commenting is involved. Alarmists make a lot of nasty comments. Look up dhoghaza and Joe Romm.
The capper came at the end when they asked me to sign a release form. I was shocked, because standard procedure is to have the interviewee look over and sign the release form before the interview.
Reading it was like reading no other release form I’ve ever seen. It had a clause that said “gives us the right to use your content however we see fit” which concerned me because usually an interview for a documentary is limited to that venue. For all I know they may put me on a political comedy show.
Then there was something I’ve never encountered in all my years of television. An oath of “honesty and factual accuracy” was in the release. While I certainly thought I answered honestly and factually, this clause concerned me. When somebody interviews me on a contentious subject like climate, I’m giving my opinion. Opinions are almost always disputed. I was sure mine would be. To have such a clause connected to one’s opinion is just insane because then someone can hold up anything and say “but scientific consensus says..etc…etc…so Mr. Watts lied and violated his contractual oath in the release form”. It’s not a court of law, it’s an interview. Jeez Louise!
The release was obviously written by amateurs, and I refused to sign it. They then admitted that “it’s being revised to ‘simplify it’ and ‘could we send you a revision?’. I said I’d look at it, gave them my card with email address, told them that I thought they had the process backwards and that I was unhappy with being confronted with flawed legal language after giving a good faith interview, and left.
My impression is that whoever hired these two kids for the BBC is in for a peck of trouble down the road. I doubt the documentary on skeptics will be little more than a slam job. We’ll see if they try to use me even though I have NOT signed the release.
That’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back.
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There is a big difference between the excellent BBC science department and the BBC political ethos. Sadly the latter has thoroughly imposed itself on the former.
Hang in there Anthony. Best advice on legal documents: don’t try to be your own attorney!
There are bound to be some savvy physicists there at the conference, see if you can get some real insight into the recent unprecedented drop in the temperature of the oceans in relation to sea waters thermal conductivity, being rather small, the transfer will be slow.
I had expected this multi-year pause in cooling of the oceans to actually start to be apparent. Has to do with the rate at which the thermocline can contract in response to the loss of heat in the upper layers. (You know, the missing energy). See if you can gather some real science behind this aspect. Mother nature is doing what she always will do, of course, following proper physics!
and where can i see the videos?
Hmmm, maybe a good idea asking for an ID Card?
Anyway;
Roger Simon;
“What a relief it is the public is finally turning against this. And we have men like Monckton and Lindzen to thank for it, as well as many others at the conference. Steve McIntyre, whom I will be interviewing Monday, comes quickly to mind.”
Here;
http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2010/05/16/talking-climate-in-the-windy-city/?singlepage=true
Never, ever trust anyone at all who says, “I’m from the BBC …”
They will twist, re-edit and mis-quote to their heart’s delight. It is how they operate, it’s just too easy to spot whilst watching their miserable offerings to the UK audiences.
The BBC is now interested in only one thing and that is the propagation and proliferation of their own extremely left-wing ideology which has been nurtured by 13 years of equally socialist Labour government (who held the purse strings).
OT
My favorite financial blog Zero Hedge includes volcano studies.
“Just to add to the ink needs of European central banks, the Iceland met office reports that it has recorded a small earthquake at the Katla volcano. With Europe already pretty much bankrupt, and the only reason why Europe is still quoted being due to ECB, IMF and Fed backstops, the last thing needed by the troubled continent is the next major volcanic explosion to terminate airline travel indefinitely. As earthquakes tend to not be an indicator of volcanic stability, the most anticipated volcanic explosion in human history may finally be a fact quite soon. We are confident the HFT lobby will somehow determine that volcanic ash clouds add liquidity to the market. Stay tuned. ”
Katla Earthquake May Presage Next Volcanic Explosion
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/katla-earthquake-may-presage-next-volcanic-explosion
… and we in the UK have to, by law, PAY a licence fee to have a television, this money goes to the BBC. We have to PAY for the drivel which the Beeb produces whether or not we agree.
Anthony as someone who has fished for tuna in three oceans I’m not sure that this experiment will be very effective. Typically tuna seek out a certain temperature range so wherever the tuna go is likely to be in the same temperature range. We would look at the satellite surface temps and look for temperature breaks which is where the tuna would be, also we’d monitor the surface temp and troll on the ‘right’ side of the break.
Who says they were with the BBC?
Did you record the interview for your own sake?
cmdocker says: “bbc propaganda on bbc2 as i write (springwatch signs of change with chris packham)”
We just love Springwatch and Autumnwatch. But I suffered this too (and my wife joined in with incredulity – my scepticism seems to be spreading).
The chap who filmed mountain hairs in their white coats against the dark heather and bracken. How many years ago was the film taken? At least one – perhaps two or three years agi. I’d be very surprised if it was this year given that the Scottish highlands are still well covered in snow half way through May.
On the spread of lung worms in dogs. Are we to assume it has nothing to do with keeping dogs in warm, centrally heated houses?
And on mosquitoes in the UK. Nothing to do with exotic fruit shipments: Kenya yesterday, Tesco (UK supermarket) today?
The list goes on. There were frost fairs on the Thames a couple of hundred years ago – so nobody seriously suggests the UK climate hasn’t been warming. (Well, perhaps the purveyors of hockey sticks – but they don’t count.)
Colin Porter says:
May 17, 2010 at 1:49 pm
And in the mean time, the BBC is once more peddling its propaganda as often as it can now that it thinks that the Climategate scandal is subsiding. I have just seethed through watching a one hour programme ….
You could have driven a juggernaut through the arguments, but without a right of reply, the BBC just gets away with murder. It makes your blood boil at the injustice of it all.
______________________________________________________________________
Thank goodness for the internet. It has definitely changed the playing field. Without it the political interests could run right over us.
I spend a lot of time out in the public and there has been a sea change in attitudes towards CAGW here in the USA. Even those who are still believers can now see the carbon tax rip off aspect. They feel used and violated and angry.
R. Gates says:
May 17, 2010 at 10:59 am
Where has all the heat gone? It went up, after giving us a fair El Nino. I’m looking at the higher probablility that La Nina is in the offing, and lower probabilities to ENSO neutral/deep La Nina. I do question NOAA’s forecast of above normal Western US.
Sure doesn’t seem to fit the pattern, but anything can happen. It’s predictions, might as well enjoy them.
Well I had this conference at the top of my list of things to do this year; along with going back to NZ to attend the Distinguished Alumni Dinner and presentations; but the Obamapelosi spending spree put the Kibosh on both of those.
With the massive tax increases; and some unemployed family having no chance at a government climate research grant; I had to close the shutters; and put on the survival suit.
I’m glad that some of the local regulars here were able to make it; no way I can fake a job related excuse to go; since we have no interest in either up or down effects of the Climate change/green energy gravy trains; and I certainly can’t convince any evil big oil company to pay my way.
But next year; I will crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass; naked in a blizzard; and uphill both ways to make at least the climate science conference; and probably the Alumni thing as well, since I am expected to attend.
I’d really like to hear what Prof Lindzen or Dr Roy Spencer have to say, when enclosed under the dome of silence.
So much for academic freedom; when you can’t speak openly because of politics.
The latest Alumni mag under its Student Life section; has an article about some LLB student who is an “environmental Officer” with the University’s Environmental Programme; and was one of 12 NZ youth delegates to the big Copenhagen bust in December. Well their heading says “Hopenhagen or Flopenhagen ?”
Frankly it disturbs me that NZ would send law students to what purportedly was a climate science affair; and with no interest in anything but somehow passing some legally binding treaty to enforce behavior of people around the world.
As I see it, New Zealand has precisely nothing to gain (but misery) from any climate treaty; since it too; like the United States, is not permitted to offset its “carbon footprint”; with its massive tree farming operations that along with its agriculture likely make it a net carbon sink; which the USA is.
They are going to be hearing from me; about putting legal basketry ahead of dealing with the clear inconsistencies in the suppoedly settled science. Seems to me that the science has only just started to materialize; and it is not looking too good for unnatural variability; or CO2 drive versus H2O Feedback regulation. And with Countries like Japan employing global warming geo-engineering to extend crop seasons, and cause “global warming”; just what is the point in other countries signing on to their own economic demise; when even Europe is not abiding by their Kyoto promises; and India/China/Indonesia just plan to carry on with business as usual (which maybe they should).
Hopefully, we will here some conference news from Anthony and the others pretty soon.
I’ve got a new phrase to describe what is done to temp data via the hockey team’s homogenization tricks: Bake n’ Fake.
We have to watch the media. Someone somewhere has decided that the thing to do about those pesky climate skeptics is to try to put them all in the same boat as creationists and anti-science right wing religious nutcases. I’ve heard several media commentaries that have pushed that meme this week.
With apologies to any creationist anti-science right wing extremist nutcases who might be present, a lot of us don’t want to be put in that boat. I’m an atheist; I’m middle of the road politically; I think creationists are borderline crazy; and I’m a scientist in my day job. However I’m also very skeptical about the current paradigm in climate science.
If memory serves me right, I believe the original jingle was:
Ask any MERMAID you happen to see,
“What’s the best tuna?”
Chicken of the Sea
Funny bit, though
The sign-off line ought to be
“Sorry, GAVIN, only the best tuna get to be “real climate” data
Mr Mann is not allowed to be taken to task. The order has gone out to all persons of influence. From whom and why anybody guess.
Wow, that tuna stuff gets confusing. Jessica Simpson thought “Chicken of the Sea” was chicken, which is understandable since white albacore tuna was referred to as chicken of the sea “way back when” by fishermen. And these days PETA wants fish to be known as Sea Kittens so people will think twice about eating any fish.
Tuna, chicken, kitten… Guess if we eat more Asian cooking it won’t be a problem, then we’ll just cook up whatever animal protein we can find.
Anyone up for some Sea Chick Kitty? I found this old Vietnamese recipe online…
Re: kadaka (KD Knoebel) on May 17, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Whoops, looks like I goofed up a link somehow. “white albacore tuna was referred to as chicken of the sea” should have been linked a Wikipedia article. Sorry about that.
old construction worker says:
May 17, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Gary said they had two temperature sensors, one inside and one outside of the fish. The heat of the tuna (as I understand it) comes from the action of the muscles, so if it is exerting it warms up. But what do I know? …
William Gray says:
May 17, 2010 at 4:42 pm
———————–
It’s called professionalism… Why put yourself in the position to be called a hate monger…
Ignoring the Mann issue right now is pragmatic and savvy…
Thanks for the updates, Anthony!
Here’s Sen. Jim Inhofe’s comments about the Heartland conference, delivered on the floor of the US Senate:
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=a880900c-802a-23ad-45e0-6ac1d20af80f&Issue_id=
Were any Danish or Chicagoan chicken ranchers doing pro bono work at the conference, I am just exercising a litle bit of intellectual interest, in the interests of of this blog’s current affairs.
The usual bedwetters [Lord Monckton’s most excellent term] in the blogosphere are whining about this conference — which they will not attend — while turning a blind eye to the world’s biggest freeloaders’ conference.
Here’s what I’ve posted (it’s still in moderation):
How will we spin this?: Two words — El Nino. Those who read a dioxide-deviationist blog like WUWT would be aware of this, unlike the out-of-touch sarcastic commenters above (except Don K). Further, it’s our opinion that this up-tick will be succeeded later this year, or early next year, by a down-ticking La Nina like the one that followed the up-spike in 1998.
Wanna bet (and take it out of my hide)? You can wager on the GISS temperature anomalies for coming months (May, June, and July), for 2010, for the next five years, etc., at https://www.intrade.com