Dr. James Hansen arrested in coal protest at the White House, see the photo below.
From the Wonk Room » Around The World, Activists Arrested For Protesting Coal’s Destruction
More than 100 people were arrested today during Appalachia Rising, the largest national protest to end mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. Arrests included Appalachian residents; retired coal miners; renowned climate scientist, James Hansen; and faith leaders. After a march from Freedom Plaza and a rally at Lafayette Park, more than 100 staged a sit-in in front of the White House to demand President Obama follow his own science and end mountaintop mining.
“The science is clear, mountaintop removal destroys historic mountain ranges, poisons water supplies and pollutes the air with coal and rock dust,” said renowned climate scientist James Hansen, who was arrested in today’s protest at the White House. “Mountaintop removal, providing only a small fraction of our energy, can and should be abolished. The time for half measures and caving in to polluting industries must end.”
Here’s our buddy Jimbo, looking dapper in a fedora, tie, dockers, and cuffs:
Jimbo’s starting a rap sheet:
June 23, 2009 Dr. James Hansen of NASA GISS arrested
James Hansen and unidentified woman under arrest by WV state trooper. Photo credit: Antrim Caskey, Rainforest Action Network Field Photography
I wonder if he still thinks the west side highway will be underwater due to sea level rise in 20 years?
And as an added bonus, from the Climate is not Weather except when we say it is Department, the Wonk Room has a link to this story:
Meanwhile, Los Angeles hit an all-time record 113°…
h/t to Tom Nelson and WUWT reader Ron de Haan
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ot but arctic ice is really picking up!
http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/icecover.uk.php
Non-DMI seem to be trying to hide again…LOL
Hey, they are on the right track:
So we can hope that wind mills and PV fields are obsolete now?
If he’s willing to break the law in order to save the world, would he not also be willing to fudge data in order to save the world?
Why was he arrested?
Every time I see a picture of Jim Hansen or hear him referenced, I’m reminded of one of the spokesmen for the Turbo Entabulator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjXTOlsE8k0
At this point, the Turbo Entabulator spokesmen have more credibility than Jim Hansen does as a climate scientist.
I agree with him on this issue. I also agree with him regarding our need for nuclear power.
He has a right to voice his opinion and to demonstrate on the subject. Free country and all that. And come on, folks, do you really think he *didn’t* take vacation to do this? Really? He may be weird, but the last thing anyone can accuse him of is being stupid. Also, last time I checked, he’s a natural-born American citizen, so deporting him isn’t really an option, is it?
I believe he is, and has always been, seriously off the rails regarding CO2 and its role in climate… in fact, his logic is fatally flawed with regard to that.
Good on the USA – keep those shackles on the man. A gag too and somebody stamp on that silly hat he wears.
He should have been arrested for lying in an English Court. His hour long [Kingsnorth Power Station] testimony was a travesty of the truth and his obsession with coal/carbon and his extreme views about [the myth] of climate catastrophe make NASA look like a bunch of amateurs by association. I know NASA is not but from over here [UK] Hansen and NASA are one.
Eviron whack jobs. Where, pray tell, will the people get their electricity? Or does any of them really care as long as they have theirs? For those making the snap judgment supporting the good doctor while he demonstrates his obvious bias and activism, you people should really read up on “mountain top removal”. You should also understand this twit represents an arm of a federal agency.
Holy carp.
Going to the link about his west side highway prediction.
That’s the cafe from Seinfeld on the 1st floor of his building.
REPLY: Yes, yes it is. Maybe you missed this?
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/10/21/nasa-giss-a-division-of-vandelay-industries/
– Anthony
As much as I abhor this man, I support his right to protest (and knowingly get arrested) for whatever his beef is.
Having said that, surely it’s plain to see that the most important temperature data set is in the hands of an activist. This must change.
As MikeN says, we dont know why Jim Hansen was arrested. If, for example, there was a court order outlawing the protest he might be guilty of contempt of court. Until we know the details, we cannot make a judgement.
Ref – E.M.Smith says:
September 28, 2010 at 10:46 am
“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy! Isn’t there some kind of “morals” clause in NASA contracts that forbids repeat convicts from serving or getting contracts?”
_________________________
I think you’re right. By jimbo, I think you’re right once again! And look at his hat, AND those long sleeves on that shirt, AND a tie too, AND extra LONG pants, AND nice thick shoes AND socks – not any of that short, short, light, light, see-thru, keep-ya-cool Global Warming stuff. Ya think he knows something he’s not telling? Ya think it might mean we’re heading into one of those super cell deep freeze falls and an ice age, grab yer socks, no-holds-barred winter? Somthin’ mighty fishy there! Mighty fishy! Can’t ya just smell it?
PS: On the demonstration he stumbeled into on his way to advise and consent to the WH about the end of life as we know it, or whatever, I think those folks are right. Let’s buy some Chinese coal as long as they’re still taking our funny money.
“The time for half measures and caving in to polluting industries must end.”
So we should stop caving in to “Climate Scientists” who pollute the media with questionable “science” and illegal tactics? OK.
For those who asked:
Washington (CNN) — More than 100 people protesting mountain-top removal coal mining were arrested Monday outside the White House for failing to obey an order to disperse, the U.S. Park Service said.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/27/white.house.protest/
If he spent a considerable amount of time also advocating a viable option for our energy needs (i.e. nuclear) then I fully support Hansen on this. Mountaintop coal mining is a dangerous and ecologically devastating practice.
I don’t object to him taking part in protests or getting arrested for his actions again. I object to the fact that they keep letting him go.
He was not arrested for protesting, he was arrested for refusing to stop impeding traffic flow.
I still have yet to see any reason why he works for NASA. What is NASA, an organization full of people who get arrested because they can’t figure out how to protest legally in our country? Give me a break, I have protested numerous times without getting arrested. Its stunts like this that undermine his credibility, and I do believe that anyone who works for the Government and gets arrested should be fired on the spot for something this retarded.
In fact, I am still unsure why he wasn’t fired years ago. He is not a true government worker, he is a joke who goes around on crusades..
Mountain top removal sounds pretty drastic but isn’t that big a deal.
If you have ever been to Appalachia which is pretty much the only place where it is practiced you will have noticed the extreme shortage of level ground. By pushing the tips of ridges over on to the uppermost bit of the valley next to or between them you can create a reasonable area of flat ground. At times because flat land is rare in Appalachia you find supermarkets and other such development takes place on it.
Otherwise which is most often it is replanted with trees and/or grassed. There is no ecosystem destruction. The material involved is generally inert sandstone or shale and after replanting the ground is not significanrly different from the rest of Appalachian land and will soon be repopulated with exactly the same flora and fauna it had before.
Commonly the effects on the water quality are positive. Appalachia has a long and chequered mining history and removal commonly takes away residual coal left in old workings and removes any problems there may have been associated with it.
Even in Appalachia, the writ of the DOE runs and the irresponsible bad practice which was widespread in the 19th and early 20th century and gave the whole of this industry a bad name, has largely been stamped out.
Hansen has every right and as a concerned citizen the obligation to express is views. If that leads him to some form of protest or civil disobedience so be it. I have been a coal geologist and mine planner for many years. I do not fully agree with him and find many half truths and much misinformation coming from these advocates and advocacy groups. Hansen is quoted saying: “The science is clear, mountaintop removal destroys historic mountain ranges, poisons water supplies and pollutes the air with coal and rock dust,” said renowned climate scientist James Hansen, who was arrested in today’s protest at the White House. “Mountaintop removal, providing only a small fraction of our energy, can and should be abolished. The time for half measures and caving in to polluting industries must end.”
This statement is not totally untrue, it is shall we say, a little over the top. Credit is not often given to the miners who do a very good job of reclamation, for example. The dangers rock and coal dust, as well as waters supplies, can be real. They can also be mitigated and controlled.
“Arrests included…renowned climate scientist, James Hansen; and faith leaders.”
Redundant
björn says:
“I think it is outrageous and everyone, no matter what view they have on agw, should support Hansen and his/our right to freedom of speech. Arrested for demonstrating, this is USA not China?”
They were arrested at the White House. Since 9/11, the NO-GO zone around the White House is huge. Most likely, they wandered into it and were arrested for tresspassing, not protesting.
One of the largest elk herds in the US is thriving on land reclaimed from strip mines in Eastern KY .
[quote]R. Shearer says:
September 28, 2010 at 10:42 am
He should be deported.[/quote]
NO. …..thanks
“If he’s willing to break the law in order to save the world, would he not also be willing to fudge data in order to save the world?”
Exactly. This is why this seems to be a conflict of interest. He is in charge of the GISS temp data and he is an activist. He should decide which one he prefers to be, because it’s hard to sell me on GISS temp data when I know the man in charge of it is biased and has an agenda.
Silly rabbit, show us how to protest a volcano, like they kill the vegetation, wreck lungs, poison the water and coat everything in ash and mud.
Volcanic gases undergo a tremendous increase in volume when magma rises to the Earth’s surface and erupts. For example, consider what happens if one cubic meter of 900°C rhyolite magma containing five percent by weight of dissolved water were suddenly brought from depth to the surface. The one cubic meter of magma now would occupy a volume of 670 m3 as a mixture of water vapor and magma at atmospheric pressure (Sparks et. al., 1997)! The one meter cube at depth would increase to 8.75 m on each side at the surface. Such enormous expansion of volcanic gases, primarily water, is the main driving force of explosive eruptions.
The most abundant gas typically released into the atmosphere from volcanic systems is water vapor (H2O), followed by carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Volcanoes also release smaller amounts of others gases, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen chloride (HCL), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and helium (He).
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/index.php
I might even join you. I officially protest Kliuchevskoi, Eyjafjallajökull, Chaiten, Redoubt, Shiveluch, Sarychev, Kasatochi, Okmok, Sinabung, Cleveland, Etna, Galeras and… there’s so many! I officially protest the 60 to 80 volcanoes erupting every year now and screwing everything up, when we used to get 50 or less.