George Mason University "Climate Change Communicator of the Year" – where only one viewpoint is allowed

Heh, what can you say? Read some of the glowing nominations at the links below. It’s pure self aggrandizement wrapped in a delusional comedy. I got the biggest chuckle from seeing skepticalscience.com listed as an “organization”. Mike Mann’s nomination letter #5 link in individual nominees is a hoot also. Lest some think this is some sort of sour grapes, it isn’t.  It is simply humorous that only one type of communications apparently passes muster and the nominators are all part of the same club. Contrast that process to this one.

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Climate Change Communicator of the Year

Excellence deserves acknowledgment. Every year we honor one person and one organization for their excellence as climate change communicators. Honorees are identified through an open nomination and democratic voting process. Honorees and nominees from previous years can be found here: 2009 and 2010.

2011 Nominees: 4C Climate Change Communicator of the Year

We are delighted to announce twelve outstanding nominees – six each in the individual and organizational categories – for Climate Change Communicator of the Year 2011. Now we ask that you exercise your democratic right to vote by helping select the climate change communicators of the year. The polls close at midnight, April 15th.

To learn more about each of the nominees, click on their names. Then, cast your ballot: one vote each for an individual and an organization.

Individual Nominees:

1. Tom Crompton

2. Jay Gulledge

3. Susan Joy Hassol

4. Naomi Oreskes

5. Joseph Romm

6. John Abraham/Scott Mandia/Ray Weymann

Organizational Nominees:

1. Alliance for Climate Education

2. Climate Change Media Partnership

3. Sea Grant Climate Network

4. Skeptical Science.com

5. The Earth Journalism Network

6. Union of Concerned Scientists

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Source: http://www.climatechangecommunication.org/award.cfm should anyone care to vote.

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Ed Scott
April 13, 2011 9:19 am

If “Mother Earth” is given the same rights as humans, does that include the right to be taxed into submission?
The UN is a home of untreated mental patients.
—————————————————————————————
UN document would give ‘Mother Earth’ same rights as humans
http://www.canada.com/technology/document+would+give+Mother+Earth+same+rights+humans/4597840/story.html
UNITED NATIONS — Bolivia will this month table a draft United Nations treaty giving “Mother Earth” the same rights as humans — having just passed a domestic law that does the same for bugs, trees and all other natural things in the South American country.

John Peter
April 13, 2011 9:19 am

No votes from me. This should have been an April 1 entry.

David A. Evans.
April 13, 2011 9:22 am

I vote for Joe Romm. Best communicator for the sceptical cause around. 😛
DaveE.

pat
April 13, 2011 9:27 am

More like an award for loudest crank.

Mike Bromley
April 13, 2011 9:33 am

The Oscars?

April 13, 2011 9:35 am

I’d suggest WUWT readers use the email at the George Mason Center for Climate Change Communication page to first ask why there is a “none of the above” choice, and then ask why millions of dollars have been spent at such choices as they show, yet public opinion about the importance of global warming is heading toward basement levels. Whether George Mason U likes it or not, sites like WUWT, ClimateDepot.com, ClimateAudit, nofrakkingconsensus.wordpress.com and others are having a HUGE communication effect.

Jeremy
April 13, 2011 9:39 am

When faced with cognitive dissonance, self-congratulation is necessary to maintain sanity.
“I’m good enough.”
“I’m smart enough.”
“And garsh-darnit, people like me!”

Tom T
April 13, 2011 9:46 am

Shouldn’t that be changed to Climate Change Propagandist of the Year Award?

Christopher Simpson
April 13, 2011 9:49 am

Russell C says:
April 13, 2011 at 9:35 am
…ask why millions of dollars have been spent at such choices as they show, yet public opinion about the importance of global warming is heading toward basement levels.

That’s it in a nutshell. Public opinion is swinging away — therefore there must be improved communications.

Greg, Spokane WA
April 13, 2011 9:50 am

Well ya know…
They do want to improve their communication, their message, and what better way to do that than by awarding the “correct” messengers?
Since WUWT, CA, etc., are heretics, deniers, not communicating the correct message then why should they be in line for any kind of “Climate Correctness Communication Program” award?
ok ok…
/sarc_off

PRD
April 13, 2011 9:51 am

It isn’t all fun and games at George Mason. There is at least one sane head in that skool. Professor Walter E. Williams articles webpage is in my list of favorites. He offers very plain language, scathing criticism of liberal policies including global wa.. climate cha… climate disr… what ever it’s called these days.
http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles.html

Editor
April 13, 2011 9:52 am

In setting a submissions deadline for the IRS (er, self-selectioned CAGW poll) on April 15, it’s funny that they forgot that Tax Day is April 18 this year for the US.
And May Day, the socialist’s Grand Day of Equality, Fraternity, and Despair for All, is a bit later, on May 1.

DesertYote
April 13, 2011 9:55 am

Whenever a Marxist says Communication they mean Propaganda.
BTW, one does not engage the public, one engages the enemy.
And “Creating a dialogue” == “Forcing a narrative”.
I think its time for me to formalize and publish my “Marxist Jargon Decoder Ring”

April 13, 2011 9:59 am

Agree w/PRD, Walter E. Williams is well worth reading, and very likeable in person.
For an example of his writing, read this. It’s only a few paragraphs.

PRD
April 13, 2011 10:03 am

I’m jealous, Smokey. Ever since being introduced to his columns page, I’ve given a great deal of thought as to how I’d greet the man.

April 13, 2011 10:08 am

PRD,
You’d have to look up. He’s about 6’7″.

Les Johnson
April 13, 2011 10:08 am

I wonder how the nominators would feel if all the candidates in the next federal election were only republican.
Do you think that there would be some howls of outrage?

April 13, 2011 10:09 am

Will there be a “none of the above” option?

April 13, 2011 10:17 am

skepticalscience.com is an organisation in the same way the mafia is. The moderators operate with total lack of transparency, communicating by disappearing anyone who seriously challenges the “family” with rational and logical argument.
Whilst the insiders increasingly communicate amongst themselves how clever they are, due to it’s recent change of direction led by the said enforcers, it should now consider a name change to Political Science to complete the transformation.

kevin
April 13, 2011 10:23 am

I’ve mentioned this before… the Library of Economics and Liberty is run by George Mason Economists.
They’ve had rational and calm conversations on the subject of climate change. Example: http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2010/08/laughlin_on_the.html

Editor
April 13, 2011 10:30 am

“Honorees are identified through an open nomination and democratic voting process.”
Dang. Missed the open nomination process. I guess we all did, as I don’t see Willis Eschenbach as one of the nominees. Maybe next year.

Jimbo
April 13, 2011 10:47 am

Left V Left
Ariana Huffington sued by bloggers for $105m
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/12/arianna-huffington-post-sale

George E. Smith
April 13, 2011 10:48 am

Who are these people/organisations ?
Is Joseph Romm related in any way to Joe Romm of c-R fame. And of course we all know the Union of Communist Scientists; although nobody I know knows anybody who belongs.
And I bet Professor Walter E. Williams gets a kick out of the tripe that comes from GMU.
Everybody should check out the web site of Walter E. Williams; handsome, debonair black man; and while you are there, pick up your own personal Pardon and Amnesty Proclamation, granted personally by handsome, debonair black man Walter E. Williams, Professor extra-ordinaire at George Mason University. It is available to any person of European descent, as a pardon for his/her ancestor’s slavery practices.
Prof Willimas is one Cool Dude; and please don’t forget the (E.) or you’ll get the wrong guy.
My own personal pardon has adorned my office wall for years; of course I get a special one, having been a Colonial myself; and therefore less guilty of having had decrepid ancestors.

April 13, 2011 10:51 am

Odd whatsupwiththat has not been dominated under the organizational nominees?

Jimbo
April 13, 2011 10:57 am

Whoever wins the best communicator award they have failed in the face of rising scepticism.

April 13, 2011 11:14 am

George E. Smith,
Thanks. Anyone wishing to be pardoned for their ancestors’ slave owning can download Walter E. Williams’ official pardon here.

mccall
April 13, 2011 11:16 am

Was there a write-in spot on the ballot?

April 13, 2011 11:29 am

George E. Smith says:
April 13, 2011 at 10:48 am

I feel for him right now. His school is making a mockery of the very idea of what a University stands for. Dr. Walter E. Williams is by far the most intelligent professor at that institution as evidenced by the antics of the rest of the clowns.

Marion
April 13, 2011 11:30 am

Wasn’t it the George Mason University that received those nonsensical ‘plagiarism’ allegations against Wegman (you know the ones where Bradley had accused Wegman of plagiarism yet it was found that not only had Bradley been cited in Wegman’s review of Climate Science but that Bradley himself had plagiarised from Fritts).
Anyone know the outcome of Bradley’s complaints?

Gary D.
April 13, 2011 11:31 am

Does sound a little like sour grapes. If they want to have their own little group award, so be it. What’s the prize? And who’s paying for it?

jaypan
April 13, 2011 11:33 am

I’d vote for the 1010.org video “No pressure”.
Most impressive, but not a nominee.

April 13, 2011 11:34 am

Here OTOH is my delightful find yesterday…

Imagine that there is a new scientific theory that warns of an impending crisis, and points to a way out.
This theory quickly draws support from leading scientists, politicians and celebrities around the world. Research is funded by distinguished philanthropies, and carried out at prestigious universities. The crisis is reported frequently in the media. The science is taught in college and high school classrooms.

Not global warming??? Have a look

Lady Life Grows
April 13, 2011 11:36 am

The award is for climate CHANGE communicator and that sure isn’t us. Whoever wins is a mass murderer and killer of living things. I think I am gunna vote for Joe Wrong just because he’s the one that has made the biggest fool of hisself. (Don’t ask for classy language for a nincompoop please).

Kurt in Switzerland
April 13, 2011 12:10 pm

Great stuff!
One blogger got it spot on: the reason for the award is that the Warmist cause is losing momentum, or, dare I say, headed for its own ‘precipice’?
Since the data are not cooperating [with the heretofore much heralded climate models], the movement is in dire need of a missionary, er, communicator, expert in repackaging the science into bite-sized pieces for the lay public, who are understandably confused by difficult concepts such as the sign ( /-) of feedbacks, how cherry-picked tree ring and tree bark samples from specific sites are valid for a scientic paper on climate change(whereas the vast MWP evidence from the N Hemisphere is most c
certainly NOT), etc.
This could be a tremendous source of comedy relief: I can see the finalists on the stage, each one outdoing the next with a feel-good statement about going BEYOND being CO2 neutral in his travel to the venue! There could also be bonus points for ‘slaying a denialist dragon’ (as inferred by Prof. Mann, as his nominee apparently turned the ‘non-story’ of the surreptitiously-obtained CRU Climategate e-mails into an education for us layfolk about the true state of the planet)!

John T
April 13, 2011 12:19 pm

DesertYote says:
April 13, 2011 at 9:55 am
BTW, one does not engage the public, one engages the enemy.

I don’t think I’ll be telling my fiancee that.

RockyRoad
April 13, 2011 12:19 pm

Smokey says:
April 13, 2011 at 9:59 am

Agree w/PRD, Walter E. Williams is well worth reading, and very likeable in person.
For an example of his writing, read this. It’s only a few paragraphs.

Two men, one a communist and the other a capitalist, happened to be driving down the highway in a prosperous part of the countryside. After passing an opulent home, the communist shouted with conviction to his fellow traveler, “No man should have as much”, at which the capitalist responded with restraint, “Every man should have as much”.
It is pretty easy to see which camp the Over Tax and Over Spend group fall into. And if we follow their OTOS dogma, nobody will be heading in the right direction.

Martin Brumby
April 13, 2011 12:26 pm

Hmmmm
Check out http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles/10/GlobalWarmingUpdate.htm
Walter E Williams gets my vote!

A Lovell
April 13, 2011 12:41 pm

PRD says:
April 13, 2011 at 9:51 am
It isn’t all fun and games at George Mason. There is at least one sane head in that skool. Professor Walter E. Williams articles webpage is in my list of favorites. He offers very plain language, scathing criticism of liberal policies including global wa.. climate cha… climate disr… what ever it’s called these days.
http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles.html
I think I love Walter Williams! I just spent an hour reading his refreshing words of wisdom.
Another great site to add to my favourites.

Bill Illis
April 13, 2011 12:49 pm

Climate Communicator of the Year has to go to RealClimate for their latest attempt (going after Joe Sixpack).
Beer will be too warm to enjoy? The planet will be too warm to enjoy like warm beer isn’t as enjoyable as cold beer?
I don’t quite get it but it is something about beer and global warming.
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/04/the-warm-beer-chart/
The problem is not communication. There are maybe 5 people left on the planet who have not heard about global warming.
People just do not believe nonsense when they hear it. The Real problem is that communicating nonsense is always very hard.
Only very talented communicators can make people believe nonsense.

April 13, 2011 12:52 pm

John T,
How did Patrick Stewart propose?
“Engage!”

3x2
April 13, 2011 1:04 pm

Joseph Romm
Enough said.

Aerianne
April 13, 2011 1:11 pm

… and the previous winners automatically turn into ex-communicators?

beng
April 13, 2011 1:23 pm

It’s just like the number of boring, self-congratulatory “awards” parties the entertainment industry gives itself every year.

jonjermey
April 13, 2011 1:55 pm

I want to vote for Tim Flannery for doing the most damage to the AGW cause in Australia in the previous year. But all we have to do is wait: one of these nominees will inevitably slip up and let some of the dirt out, and then we can vote for them with a clear conscience.

April 13, 2011 2:14 pm

Saw this quote today somewhere in my web surfing:
The only difference between Leftist academics, liberal elites, and the U.N., and totalitarian dictators, is that the latter have the armies.
Academics and lib elites at GMU and other universities will never get their armies. They are only the useful idiots. They will be used and discarded.
But the UN works tirelessly to assemble a military force. The craven Obama always has to get UN approval and permission before sending U.S. soldiers into dangerous situations.
What’s wrong with this picture?
*cough*sovereignty*cough*

melinspain
April 13, 2011 2:14 pm

Enhorabuena D. Antonio 75 millones y contando….

George E. Smith
April 13, 2011 2:30 pm

“”””” Smokey says:
April 13, 2011 at 11:14 am
George E. Smith,
Thanks. Anyone wishing to be pardoned for their ancestors’ slave owning can download Walter E. Williams’ official pardon here. “””””
Well it’s the least I could do for you Smokey; Mother Gaia knows of all the places I’ve been lead astray to by you; so I felt I should return the favor.
And if you ever get a chance to hear that overly tall Professor extoll on his forte; the real science of Economics, don’t pass it up. He makes it all seem so obvious, it makes you sick, that you didn’t think of it yourself. And his sense of humor is as tall as the man himself; and you can see from his picture that he truly is handsome, debonair and black.
I would almost bet, that his lecture courses are at the top of the campus list of classes to get into.

Gerald Machnee
April 13, 2011 2:32 pm

Isn’t there an award for Ms/Mr Congeniality?

jorgekafkazar
April 13, 2011 2:58 pm

PRD says: “It isn’t all fun and games at George Mason. There is at least one sane head in that skool. Professor Walter E. Williams articles webpage is in my list of favorites. He offers very plain language, scathing criticism of liberal policies…”
http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles.html
‘E’ got a laugh out of me in no time at all. Very clear, very witty. I’ve bookmarked his site for future visits.

jorgekafkazar
April 13, 2011 3:02 pm

melinspain says: “Enhorabuena D. Antonio 75 millones y contando….”
Si. Muy bueno! Gracias.

TomRude
April 13, 2011 4:03 pm

They should add Maple Leaf a.k.a… you all know who… from Winnebago North

Brian H
April 13, 2011 4:10 pm

George E. Smith says:
April 13, 2011 at 10:48 am

Prof Willimas is one Cool Dude; and please don’t forget the (E.) or you’ll get the wrong guy.

And if you go looking for Prof. Willimas, you’ll get no guy at all!
;pPpP

chris b
April 13, 2011 4:56 pm

I voted by leaving the entries blank and putting my email address as: noneoftheabbove@bias.bs.
I got this response:
Thank you! Your vote has been recorded. We appreciate your participation in the Center for Climate Change Communication’s 2011 Climate Change Communicator of the Year awards. You can look forward to hearing about our winners soon after the polls close at midnight, April 15th.

JPeden
April 13, 2011 4:59 pm

Hegemony strikes again, the nominations are obviously rigged! There’s no place to write in Greg Craven!

DonS
April 13, 2011 5:07 pm

Walter E. Williams is indeed a delight, as is his philosophical fellow traveler Thomas Sowell, who hangs his hat at Berzerkly. http://www.tsowell.com These two men are long-time friends and both are quite brilliant. They don’t make it in prime-time because both are conservative, by nature if not by political thought.

JPeden
April 13, 2011 5:13 pm

Once when he was filling in for Limbaugh, I heard Walter E. Williams express his “support for women’s rights”: ~”I allow my wife two hours on Saturdays to say anything she wants and she doesn’t even have to address me as ‘Professor’!”

Dave Wendt
April 13, 2011 5:30 pm

Lucy Skywalker says:
April 13, 2011 at 11:34 am
Here OTOH is my delightful find yesterday…
Imagine that there is a new scientific theory that warns of an impending crisis, and points to a way out.
This theory quickly draws support from leading scientists, politicians and celebrities around the world. Research is funded by distinguished philanthropies, and carried out at prestigious universities. The crisis is reported frequently in the media. The science is taught in college and high school classrooms.
Not global warming??? Have a look
From the Wikipedia page for the patron saint of the greenhouse effect
Racial biology
Svante Arrhenius was one of several leading Swedish scientists actively engaged in the process leading to the creation in 1922 of The State Institute for Racial Biology in Uppsala, Sweden, which had originally been proposed as a Nobel Institute. Arrhenius was a member of the institute’s board, as he had been in The Swedish Society for Racial Hygiene (Eugenics), founded in 1909.[5]
Plus ce la change…

George E. Smith
April 13, 2011 5:40 pm

“”””” DonS says:
April 13, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Walter E. Williams is indeed a delight, as is his philosophical fellow traveler Thomas Sowell, who hangs his hat at Berzerkly. http://www.tsowell.com These two men are long-time friends and both are quite brilliant. They don’t make it in prime-time because both are conservative, by nature if not by political thought. “””””
Well thanks DonS, I’ve been trying to recall Thomas Sowell’s name all day. If I’m not mistaken, Sowell was WEW’s mentor, and yes a brilliant mind.
Are you sure he isn’t at the Hoover Institute at Stanford; rather than that; what did you say that other place was called ?
Darn; he’s Black too; must be something genetic. Sowell is a more sedate chap than Walter E. but then he’s more of an old Silver back too; so he can afford to be a little more introspective.
My local radio station is fortunate to be able to air both of those learned gentlemen regularly, although Dr Sowell less often, unfortunately.

George E. Smith
April 13, 2011 5:44 pm

“”””” Brian H says:
April 13, 2011 at 4:10 pm
George E. Smith says:
April 13, 2011 at 10:48 am

Prof Willimas is one Cool Dude; and please don’t forget the (E.) or you’ll get the wrong guy.
And if you go looking for Prof. Willimas, you’ll get no guy at all! “””””
Well I didn’t want to inundate the chap with spam, so I used an old WW-II encryption code to hide his true identity. I never make misteaks, if that is what you were alluding to !

Editor
April 13, 2011 8:13 pm

I think all WUWT readers should vote for Joe Romm, but publicize that we are voting for him because he, more than anybody, has done the best job making sure the public understands that AGW is a political scam perpetrated to promote socialism and is a complete and utter joke, but also that we are also only voting for him because Al Gore wasn’t nominated.

Another Ian
April 14, 2011 1:42 am

Bill Illis says:
April 13, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Re adaption and warm beer. In earlier days in western Queensland (Australia) when refrigeration was marginal a beer from South Australia was popular because, hot, it was rated the best. It was a very acquired taste cold IMO.

April 14, 2011 2:22 am

I just voted. I selected the “report abuse” button, then voted for “promotes hate…”

Greg Holmes
April 14, 2011 7:58 am

Are any of the candidates climatologists or comsologists/geologists?
My guess is not, and that they fall into the earth science “jack of all trades” category.

Joe Monahan
April 14, 2011 9:42 am

Joe Romm says thet GW causes both floods and droughts and any other weather event and says it all with a straight face, now that’s a communicator.

April 14, 2011 11:17 am

Smokey says:
April 13, 2011 at 2:14 pm

Smokey – Animal farm is an excellent book that for whatever reasons, most progressives have failed to read or understand. There are a lot of lessons in it. One of the easiest (and therefore most missed) to find is that in the end, only Napoleon ruled the yard. Snowball was gone.
So it will be with those who are not the dictators in your scenario. Once their usefulness is done, the revolution is over, they will be the first that are disappeared.

Allanj
April 15, 2011 4:19 am

George Mason Economics Department has a superb reputation.
A friend’s son is a sophomore in George Mason studying “Environmental Science” (yes, I know). He recently assured me that man caused global warming was real and serious. I suggested he follow WUWT for some balance. He reacted with shock. He had apparently been warned to avoid your devious and subversive blog.
I have a (possibly too romantic) vision that at one time higher education in America was about the search for truth and knowledge.