WE HAVE ENOUGH – Thanks
I have been blogging mostly non-stop since I started this blog in November 2006, with a couple of breaks over weekends, illnesses, and during some travel. WUWT now has over 4700 stories, and half a million moderated comments. As my mom used to say, “that’s enough to choke a horse”.
With the Christmas holidays here, and because this has been an extraordinarily difficult year for my family with medical issues, economic woes, and general overwork, I’ve decided to take a blogging holiday for awhile. This probably starts midday Dec 24th, lasting until around January 2nd. I’m going to remove myself from my online habits to spend time away, time with my family, time not thinking about the issues, time playing with my kids who I’m guilty of neglecting attention to. Hell, I didn’t even get outdoor Christmas lights put up this year. On the plus side, I’m going to score some new cheap after xmas sale LED’s for next year.
I’m also mindful of the many, many, people who visit this blog every day, and I do feel some duty to you, my readers. This doesn’t mean a complete downtime for this blog, we have a few guest authors that will post regularly, I’ll have open threads, and I will from time to time post things. But the pace that I have been maintaining will be less.
As they say, all work and no play makes John a dull boy, and I’ve been feeling a bit overextended lately. I’m sure the moderation team feels the same way. My email is like a firehose, and I’m way behind in correspondence. I also notice I’ve been a bit snippy with some commenters, and that really is a sign that I need some R&R. To be more direct, I’m a bit burned out. Steve McIntyre recently went on hiatus while traveling for this holiday season, and he recognizes the need to step away for awhile. I need to also.
I’m fortunate to have a large worldwide readership and a fantastic team of volunteer moderators and guest authors, so there’s no reason for WUWT to stop while I recharge. The Huffington Post for example, goes on it’s merry way even though Arianna Huffington might be in Maui. There’s no reason WUWT has to rely solely on me with the community we have. The community continues to grow, so let’s capitalize on that.
Despite the projected angst of detractors, WUWT continues to dominate the climate rat pack with traffic, per Alexa’s traffic analyzer:
Rather than let that go into the tank while I’m on R&R, I’ve decided to open up WUWT a bit more. I think it will be a win all around for everyone.
Therefore, in addition to our regulars guest posters like Willis, Bob Tisdale, CTM, David Archibald, Paul Vaughn (who will have a post tonight) and many others, I thought I would extend this opportunity to people that would like to contribute to WUWT as a guest author.
There are a few, and necessary, caveats.
1. If I won’t be able to verify who you are, please don’t apply.
2. If you want to make political statements, please don’t apply
3. I’m looking for relevant material on climate, weather, forecasting, solar science, general science, technology, and relevant humor/satire. I’m not interested in the topics listed on the policy page. Opinions that differ from what I normally post are also welcome, provided they are respectfully presented. If you just want to write a rant about “deniers” like some people we know, then please don’t apply. If you have a point to make, and can do so conscientiously, such opposing views are welcome. A good example is how Ferdinand Englebeen conducted himself with this series on CO2 1 2 3 4
4. You must create an account in the WordPress system as a registered user. I’ll provide instructions on how to do so and get you linked in to WUWT. Read on.
If you are able to write an article, add graphics and references, and would like to get the exposure this blog offers for your ideas, and are willing to sign in to the WordPress system as a registered user, using its editor, then this opportunity is for you. Basically if you can run MS Word or Open Office writer, and can follow a few simple instructions, you can be publishing as a WUWT guest author.
For some of our existing guest authors, who might be signed up to Blogger or other publishing platforms, now is the time to signup to get a WordPress account. Drop me a note and I’ll send instructions.
For those interested, please use this form, all information submitted will be kept confidential (except your name, which will go on posts) and only used in verification of your signup. If you don’t know what your story idea might be, and you just want to help keep up with general climate news, simply elaborate on that.
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signup closed
Merry Christmas Anthony 🙂
Pls take a well deserved rest and spend as much time as you need with friends and family. The work you do here is insightful, educational and well presented and will survive just fine when you take some time for the more important things in life.
With best wishes for you and your family in the coming year
John G.
Anthony,I’m a stranger to you ,but I think with the Chistmas coming ,even the strangers would be friends in those days,that’s called the Christmas,now I’m dealing with wood pelletsnow,I wish when my work is done,I will be home with my family.
Anthony, Health, Happiness and Prosperity to you and your family for Christmas and the year ahead. Along with thousands of other well wishers, I offer my grateful thanks to you and mods for the outstanding resource you offer an enquiring public here at WUWT.
WUWT has been a “must read” for me for more than a year now and I appreciate very much what you, Anthony, and the mods have done to keep a sensible and courteous balance on the AGW debate.
Enjoy your well earned break and a merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, your family and all connected with WUWT.
Dear Anthony. We all suffer from a drop in energy in the Winter, and your year has been more hectic than many. Take time out without guilt – you’ll be surprised how the organisation you’ve created carries on without you. I suggest don’t come back for a month, or at least until your enthusiasm is a greater spur than your sense of duty.
Have a peaceful Christmas and a happy and fulfilling New Year.
Anthony you are inspirational in your clear, honest, down-to-earth fashion. I refer to your site just about every day. I’m no heavyweight but a passionate lightweight to stop the CAGW world fraud. You carry a heavy load to keep us informed and we appreciate that. I was lucky enough to meet you at the Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast during your Australian speaking tour. Have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and New Year break with your family and friends (it’s not long enough to be a holiday).
You are a champion for real science. The world owes you quality down time. Best wishes to you and your family.
Anthony, thank you and to all who contribute here, and a ‘thank you’ to your family for sharing you with us. You’ve certainly earned far more than a few days off.
Wish I was able to volunteer but alas, like as some mentioned above, on a layman’s learning curve here; the things I’m learning and unlearning are quite remarkable.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Anthony and family, enjoy your break and thanks for this outstanding educational and often amusing site. Eat, drink and be merry – and I agree with PPs, you should give yourself at least a week off every three months.
We don’t want our light source on the net burning out!
From Canberra, Australia, where the snow has melted, the flies are back and the sun is shining for a proper Aussie Christmas.
Enjoy your well deserved break! Your tireless efforts have kept the conversation lively and any enemies you’ve made are only a sign of your perspecacity and accuracy. If they weren’t afraid, they wouldn’t talk about you so much.
Anthony,
I’d just like to add to the sentiments expressed above, and wish you and yours a very happy, prosperous and above all healthy Christmas and New Year.
Priorities , priorities……
Christmas, your family, your mental well being, and… we all need a break .
You have made an enormous contribution to setting the record straight with this site.The seeds have been planted and are growing as well as they can in our current global freezing climate. 🙂
A two week break will not undo the momentum that this site has helped set in motion.The genie is now out of the bottle and letting him/her bask in the frozen splendour of the world’s icy beaches for a while without your help is just fine. Rest assured that polar bears wearing sunglesses while sipping tropical drinks pictures wont go away, nor will the MSM beating their empty, hollow drum.
The truth is out there, is still out there, and will continue to be out there for as long as you need to take a break for. So enjoy it.Peace and Good Will to you and your family.
Thanks for everything Andrew – you and yours have a truly great Christmas and New Year
Happy Christmas to you and yours Anthony. I am so grateful to you for giving me daily ammunition against friends and family who have joined the warmist cult. Thanks to your efforts I’m optimistic that at least some of them are beginning to see the light.
Dear Mr and Mrs Watts
I can only agree with everything which has been said above. Frankly the science here is beyond my comprehension for the most part, but that does not stop me, and I suspect many other lurkers like me, from regularly visiting this site and enjoying the courteous discourse of your more erudite commentators.
I sincerely hope that the New Year brings health and happiness to the family. Enjoy the break, and like everyone else, I look forward to your return.
God bless you and your kind; you are beacons of light in a dark world.
Tony
Anthony have a great break; I wish I could help out with written articles but sadly I’m no scientist but I love to be educated by those with far more knowledge than I have; and I know you will have some great guest posts so look forward to those
You’ve done a great job here Anthony. No one can keep working like a machine (anyway, machines need maintenance don’t they?). Have a lovely break and get some good rest. Happy Christmas and New Year. God Bless. Annei
Can you imagine Climate Progress or Real Climate allowing authors to post opposing views. This is why WUWT kicks them in the ratings time after time. Oh, as well as the MSM being duped into largely ignoring sceptics thus leaving blogs as one of the last remaining bastions of free speech.
Well done Anthony. Feet-up time…..and well-deserved. As I have said before, pour yourself a glass of Irish and recharge those batteries. Your many supporters over here in the UK will be raising a glass to you this Christmas.
I have been keeping tabs on WUWT for the last two years, though this is my first comment as I’m not nearly qualified enough to contribute to the learned discussions. I have picked up enough ammunition, however, to stir things up properly at work and elsewhere whenever the global warming scam has raised its silly head! Here in the UK, it is a particularly noxious weed that has become deeply embedded in the political ‘culture’.
So, thank you to the contributors, the moderators, the commentators and to Anthony for all the work and effort that goes into this site. I have to confess, though, that it is the sardonic wit that shines through many of the remarks that appeals to me most!
Best wishes to all for Christmas and and every success in 2011.
Antony
Thanks so much for the years of hard work. WUWT is without doubt the most effective, accessible and honest climate resource on the net. I discovered it some time before climategate and it has been a marvellous resource ever since.
As a UK resident, I have also been delighted to see the exposure that you have been able to make available to Lord Monckton. Here in the UK our politicians are, for the most part, driven by their own agendas regardless of the science underlying each issue. WUWT has helped to expose a great deal of this.
Thank you.
You deserve a break, Anthony. We’ll play nice in the sandbox, promise.
What about some of you chaps from the NZ Climate Science Coalition or Climate Conversation Group helping Anthony out here with a summary article on developments and the latest from NZ as reported here-
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/uts_still_chully_bro/
I’m sure many here would be interested in the background and how NIWA was brought to heel.
Anthony, I just want to thank you and the “Crew”. Please take care of your families first. The debate will still be here when you return.
Your blog is head and shoulders above Arianna Huffington’s blog (I doubt is she even reads her own blog).
Apoligies for before..
I’ve sent an idea or 2 in..
one or 2 of my blog examples of my writing below..
http://www.realclimategate.org/2010/12/lost-in-alarmism-150000-climate-change-deaths-a-year/
http://www.realclimategate.org/2010/12/george-monbiot-complains-about-astroturfing/
some discussion about this in the comments at Climate ETC (Judith Curry)
http://www.realclimategate.org/2010/12/is-the-road-to-green-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/