Readers may recall this story a few weeks back:
Be a “concerned scientist” – valid credit card required
Reader DJ writes in Tips & Notes:
Since becoming a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists when I found out all you needed was a valid credit card, my curiosity about who and what they really are has spiked.
I decided to put that theory to the test. I am very proud to announce that a member of my family has been accepted into this prestigious organization. With pride, I present new UCS member, Kenji Watts:
Yes, Kenji is our dog. Apparently, the claim is true, all that is required to be a member of the illustrious group of “concerned scientists” is a valid credit card. No discerning questions were asked of me when I prepared Kenji’s application and no follow up check after the application was done. I simply put in his name, address, and provided a valid credit card that matched the address.
Here is his letter of acceptance:
And the envelope it came in:
Kenji surveys his welcome kit:
Kenji is a Japanese Chin, hence the name. I found it ironic that the issue of the UCS Catalyst Magazine (seen above) was all about Japan.
So the real question is: How many real “concerned scientists” are there in UCS? Membership is apparently not any more discerning than the ability to send money.
I’m disappointed the Guardian hasn’t called for a quote on this story citing “leading U.S. Scientists”:
Does a “Union” of concerned scientists ever take strike action when demands are ignored? How would Kenji feel about hitting the bricks for such a noble cause?
Dear David H,
I’m sorry to hear about that. Maybe next time you’ll do some research before “donating” to a “charity”.
Well, he does look something like Michael Mann.
(Kenji is fully entitled to bite me for that!)
Clearly you’re dogged in your hounding of “concerned scientists”… by being a wag.
Thanks for the nice innocent fun. No 10-10. It would be nice if UCS laughed too. Hope Josh does a cartoon of this.
There are a number of Kenjis among my friends.
Thank you Anthony for your huge contribution also to our economy.
Dave H says:
October 7, 2011 at 3:28 pm
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Dave H:
From the UCS web-site:
Global Warming Contrarians
Why has it been so difficult to achieve meaningful solutions? Media pundits, partisan think tanks, and special interest groups funded by fossil fuel and related industries raise doubts about the truth of global warming. These deniers downplay and distort the evidence of climate change, demand policies that allow industries to continue polluting, and attempt to undercut existing pollution standards. UCS fights misrepresentations of global warming, providing sound, science-based evidence to set the record straight.
They refer to deniers as downplaying and distorting the evidence of climate change. I’m just thinking out loud here, but maybe this is rubbing some people the wrong way. I am reassured, however, that the UCS is providing sound, science-based evidence to set the record straight (and you can add a sarc here).
Kenji looks to be a real contender against Ben Santer.
crosspatch says: October 7, 2011 at 2:11 pm
…….It seems to me they would save many more lives by becoming active against “organic” food (as if there is a such thing as inorganic food)..
Food Lion, in Tidewater Virginia, signals “Nutritional Foods” in one aisle: the remaining dozen, other items.
While I’m sure that many UCS members are very worth, like Kenji.
Kevin Knobloch (UCS President) has degrees in public administration and journalism:
http://littlesis.org/person/46021/Kevin_Knobloch/giving
(…amusing to see his tax advice to Kenji in the ‘welcome’ letter…so tax payers are somewhat on the hook for this nonsense, of course)
I suspect that this organization are ready for a call from James O’Keefe et al.
I think that with all this Global Warming, Kenji should get a haircut. We wouldn’t want him to become a Hotdog!!!!
Terrible, by even my standards!
Perhaps a number of the frequent commenters on WUWT should become members also. That way whenever they post comments on other sites (especially the hardcore AGW sites), they can sign their comment with an authoritative “Member, Union of Concerned Scientists”. Would Real Climate or Skeptical Science dare delete a comment from a member of UCS?
Seriously though…how does he operate the mouse that will reside on the awesome free mousepad? No opposable thumbs and all!
So the Union of Concerned Scientists has finally found it’s 1st expert.
Git ’em, Kenji, but be careful, or Mrs. Gulch will be at the door with the Sherriff.
If your dog wanted to, it could also join the Royal Geographical Society, Hostelling International, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, or the AAVSO. And?
“Can it happen here?
That depends, how many reactors do we have in places that can be hit with 9.0 earthquakes, followed 20 minutes later by a 30 foot tsunami.
Even if it did, if we put the back-up diesels in concrete, water tight bunkers, then there won’t be a problem. Put the batteries in water tight bunkers as well.
For the rest of the reactors, no changes will be needed.”
Actually, the program was called “Station Black Out”. 1993 to 1996. All plants in the country were made to install emergency D.G.’s in CONCRETE, RE-INFORCED, aircraft crash, tornado, flood, fireproof buildings…with 2 weeks of diesel fuel.
Most facilities opted for the 2 MONTHS of fuel option.
Max, Ex-nuclear, 2000…
This may be a silly question but… What do they (really) do with their money?
Do they make a dog’s breakfast of it?
BTW — we Canadians now consider CO2 a Toxic Substance (CEPA) — just like the US EPA — does Kenji have a statement on the matter that I can pass back to our Prime Minster the Honorable Stephen Harper?
See Item 74:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/default.asp?lang=En&n=0DA2924D-1&wsdoc=4ABEFFC8-5BEC-B57A-F4BF-11069545E434
I would appreciate action at your earliest convenience as we need an authoritative voice to speak on this matter.
Anthony, if you paws for a moment, I think you’ll see you’re being a little ruff on UCS.
It took as much effort for you to register your dog as a concerned scientist as it takes for a WWF article to pass IPCC peer review.
Both are worth about the same.
Like members of the Team, I suspect Kenji is capable of leaving messes in the corner he doesn’t want anyone to find and scrutinize.
a dood says:
October 7, 2011 at 6:01 pm
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Well done !
LoL…. Yer dog looks like the Grinch in that first picture.
……Is Prof. Kenji an irascible scientist like Dr Sumner-Miller?
Well, there once was an astronaut called “Laika”, so whatts up with a UCS Dr. Ph.D called Kenji?
Kenji appears to be extremely intelligent. I have no doubts at all that s/he will make a valuable contribution to ……..(whatever….)……
kohl says: October 7, 2011 at 6:41 pm
“Kenji …… s/he will make a valuable contribution to ……”
Kohl, Kenji is a male name without exception.
WillieB says:
October 7, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Perhaps a number of the frequent commenters on WUWT should become members also. That way whenever they post comments on other sites (especially the hardcore AGW sites), they can sign their comment with an authoritative “Member, Union of Concerned Scientists”. Would Real Climate or Skeptical Science dare delete a comment from a member of UCS?
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Interesting idea. How about a new group “Member, Union of Concerned Skeptical Scientists”?