(Note: I can back Mike up on this, I’ve been getting several letters like this from my TV Meteorologist friends from around the country, all nearly identically worded. – Anthony)
Guest post by Mike Alger
If you thought the dishonest tactics taken by Gleick et al were somewhat under the tableau of honesty, I am beginning to find that it is a pattern that is beings followed by much of the CAGW movement as a whole. Let me illustrate:
Just a few days after the smoke was just beginning to clear from Gleickgate (although I imagine there will be a stench to come from it from some time), I received what at first appeared to be a sincere letter from a well meaning viewer of my television weather reports. Here is the letter:
“I am John Lopez, and I am a viewer here in Reno and I’m interested in the issue of climate change and how it is affecting our weather. As someone who studies these things, I was hoping to get your opinion.
As I’m sure you’re aware, there’s been a lot of extreme weather recently, and last year set records for severe weather events. From what I have read, climate change is a factor in all of this. Because I’m interested in climate change and weather, I have joined a campaign called Forecast the Facts, which is focused on how broadcast meteorologists report on this important issue. They’ve helped to put me in touch with reporters like you to ask them their views.
I know that the American Meteorological Society says that human-induced climate change is occurring and is largely created by humans. I’m also aware of reports that climate change is likely to have an impact on weather events like heat waves, droughts, and shifting rainfall patterns. Do you agree with the AMS’ position? Do you think climate change is happening? And do you think it will have an impact on weather in Reno?”
Now, normally I’d be happy to have a discussion about what I think we know and what I think we don’t know about all this, as well as challenge some of his assumptions (last year set records for severe events, etx…), but as had already been brought up in his fine forum and others, “Forecast the Facts” is designed only to pressure the heretics in the broadcast meteorology community for their a apostatic refusal to toe the party line on CAGW. So they try to phish answers from broadcast mets to find out what side of the fence they lean, and then they go after the cretins…pitchforks raised in holy banner…all the way to their nearest newspaper and TV station general manager.
I still retain enough of a Pollyannish view about life that I was willing to see if this John Lopez really existed, and if so if he was a local who fell in with a bad lot. So I responded simply that the issues he brought up were complicated and multifaceted, and would be best explained in person. I then invited him down to the TV station where we could have a great talk about it. If he lived in our area and was sincere in trying to educate himself on at least some of the many factors involved in climate, then that should be easy. If not, and he was cooped up in “Forecast the Facts” strategic war room, then I wouldn’t hear from him again.
That was nearly a month ago. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what the response was (n’t).
I have always heard that in a court of law that truth is a good defense. It appears like there’s too little of that going around in the CAGW camp.
Mike Alger
Chief Meteorologist
KTVN TV
Reno, NV
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Yeah, Reno is such a hot bed of climate change. Perhaps some glaciers will return to the area soon.
No wait, that was last year…this year not so much!
I built (and abandoned) a WordPress blog site long ago. Now I find my comments here posted under that old name. Does anyone know why WUWT now insists the old (but not deleted) has to appear instead of my name, Peder Larsen?
FitzGibbon Media is the PR firm behind Forecast the Facts.
Trevor FitzGibbon used to be Sr. Vice President of Media Relations for Fenton Communications, before leaving to set up his own firm.
FitzGibbon Media’s clients include WikimediaFoundation.org
David Fenton is the principal puppetmaster behind most of the eco-propaganda.
Not to worry. I’m on his case 🙂
http://fitzgibbonmedia.com/news?pg=4
************************************
More than 10,000 GM Owners Demand Company Pull Its Support from Heartland Institute
Posted by FitzGibbon Media
Client: Forecast The Facts
For Immediate Release:
March 5, 2012
Contact: Blair Fitzgibbon
202-503-6141
More than 10,000 GM Owners Demand Company Pull Its Support from Heartland Institute
Over 20,000 Join Campaign against GM Hypocrisy on Climate Change
http://forecastthefacts.org/stories/gm_heartland/
San Francisco, CA – More than 10,000 current and former owners of General Motors vehicles are calling on the company to pull its financial support from the Heartland Institute, a leader in efforts to deny the science behind climate change. The campaign coordinated by Forecast the Facts comes in response to leaked documents that revealed a host of major corporations funding Heartland.
[…]
In the coming weeks, Forecast the Facts will use a host of online and offline tactics to ensure that GM is well aware of the customer frustration their support of Heartland has caused.
************************************
http://heartland.org/sites/all/modules/custom/heartland_migration/files/pdfs/17072.pdf
Trevor Fitzgibbon, Fenton’s director of media communications, helped develop the strategies used by MoveOn.org, the legally separate MoveOn.org Voter Fund and Win Without War. Fenton Communications’ own publicity blurb boasted, “Fitzgibbon’s messaging and PR efforts on behalf of MoveOn.org have helped position the online advocacy group as a national political force in America.”
************************************
http://fitzgibbonmedia.com/
Trevor FitzGibbon
http://fitzgibbonmedia.com/about-us/14/trevor-fitzgibbon
In 2008, Trevor started FitzGibbon Media to provide domestic and global public relations strategy around cutting edge political, human rights, environmental, and nuclear proliferation issues, as well as for progressive campaigns. Prior to that he served as a Communications Director in New Mexico for the Barack Obama Campaign in the Democratic Presidential Primary, and for seven years, he was the Sr. Vice President of Media Relation for Fenton Communications – helping to oversee media relations strategy for the One Campaign, MoveOn.org, and much of the progressive movement. Trevor has placed clients in front of a wide range of audiences on shows including 60 Minutes, Meet the Press, Nightline, The Colbert Report, The Situation Room, The Rachel Maddow Show, and Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and on networks such as Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN International, NPR, FOX, Phoenix TV (China), and NHK (Japan).
[…]
http://fitzgibbonmedia.com/our-clients/111/testimonials
“For six years, while at Fenton Communications, Trevor was our lead media relations partner. Reporters know and love him. He’s tireless, brilliant, and he made getting MoveOn on everything from the Colbert Report to Meet the Press look effortless. Trevor’s work has been one of the keys to MoveOn’s success – we couldn’t recommend him more highly.”
Eli Pariser
President
MoveOn.org
You’ve helped us tell one of the most important stories in our history, probably one of the most important tech stories of the year. Amazing. I’m in awe.”
Jay Walsh
Head of Communications
WikimediaFoundation.org
************************************
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings and commented:
More…”and politicization of science ($720,000).” From Soros.org?
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2007/09/26/nasa-s-hansen-mentioned-soros-foundations-annual-report
KnR says:
March 23, 2012 at 11:59 am
crosspatch Fenton Communications seem to have their sticky little fingers all over lots of things that linked to ‘the cause’, given their certainly no charity you have to ask whose picking up the bill?
___________________________
It was discussed here: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/11/30/tying-wwf-uea-fenton-communications-and-commissioned-research-all-together/
Others on the web tie Fenton Communications back to Tides which is used to launder money so the actual people funding a questionable activity can not be traced.
McCarthyism is alive and well amongst the CAGW crowd.
More Soylent Green! says:
March 23, 2012 at 10:55 am
.
Have you ever had a WordPress account with the email address you’re using? If so, that’s the cause. I don’t know the work-around.
The simplest work around may be hit ctrl-a (select all) then ctrl-c (copy) to save your work on a long post. Although I think on another thread someone posted an add-on that saved previously typed pages.
steveta_uk says:
March 23, 2012 at 10:10 am
“wws (9:49 am ) I can’t see any difference between your paid shill theories and the big-oil funded shill theories, and think both are likely as not pure fiction.”
Ah, you want evidence, right. Here goes.
Rockefeller
Rockefeller Family Foundation >> Sustainable Markets Foundation >> 350.org
>> “It’s hot in here” (Youth lunatics)
http://compleatpatriot.blogspot.com/2009/10/peer-reviewed-earth-sciences-literature.html
From John from CA on March 23, 2012 at 10:19 am:
So now scientific facts are established by survey? Well, it would go faster than that boring “hypothesis, experiment, theory” method. Methinks that survey result could have been slightly better worded.
Damned Humans! Damn you all to hell! You warmed it up!
Interesting January article by Bob Ryan at ABC StormWatch 7 related to FtF; Weather, Climate and “Facts”.
http://www.wjla.com/blogs/weather/2012/01/forecasting-the-facts-or-not-14379.html
excerpts:
So what does this all have to do with the firestorm that FtF has created? I’m afraid, whatever the good intentions on trying to show the scientific misstatements, it has only created more polarization on the topic. We can learn by discussing and understanding and frankly putting our agendas, biases, personal beliefs, economic theories, politics, etc. on the table first and not using my science as a Piñata to confuse the public. I would hope thoughtful discussion leading to better decisions is still possible. Maybe I’m still a dreamer but I hope not. My friend and broadcast colleague John Toohey-Morales and I wrote about this in a guest editorial.
“Outing” so called “deniers” with selective quotes almost falls into the camp of those political agendists who also cherry pick data or a sentence from a scientific report to support their agenda. I have written before that “Nature has no Agenda”. The world, our climate is changing. Climate, the globe, the earth, our lives are not static; change is part of time, part of who and what we are and where we live. Do we choose to accept these changes without changing ourselves? Ah, my dear Watson that is the question.
I don’t know if this has been pointed out (and I simply don’t have the time to browse through over 80 comments, but here is a thread on MediaLine in which people are receiving exactly the same letter. http://openline.medialine.com/showthread.php?p=790439
Again, if this has already been posted, my apologies.
I would like to see some research into all of the “human-induced climate change” which he implies is not caused by humans.
John V. Wright says:
March 23, 2012 at 10:00 am
I am a (proud) member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK. If you are caught astro-turfing – H/T to Macro Contrarian at 9.39 – you will be kicked out of the CIPR and finished in UK PR circles…quite rightly.
It is not just a matter of professional ethics. It is also a matter of personal honour.
Anthony, if you or any of WUWT’s contributors, can help to track down the individuals involved with sending these emails – and if they are a member of an internationally-recognised PR body – please let me know and I can promise investigation and retribution.
——————————————————–
I didn’t know there is a Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK. I always wondered: what is “Public Relations”, or PR?
And who “charters” the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK?
I have watched the excellent “Century of the Self” documentary about Edward Bernais (Sigmund Freud’s nephew) a number of times, over the years. He is often referred to as the father of PR, I believe. He got his first big break working with the tobacco companies in the 20’s, breaking the taboo (at the time) of women smoking in the USA. So he got the suffregettes to light up cigarettes while all the newspapers were there taking photos and got the newspapers to use the term “freedom torches” (he was quite an influential person at the time, being Freud’s nephew and all). Job done – he moved on to flouride in the fifties. Nice guy.
Do PR people get jobs with the government promoting the fear of AGW, or not? Were PR people advising on the Carbon Monster £6 million prime time advertising campaign in the UK (part of the Act on CO2 BS)? And you want to help?
Sorry, I don’t mean to be combative, but I feel that PR was employed to get us into this fear of our carbon footprint BS in the first place.
LinkedIn listing…… fwiw
John L. Lopez
CEO at Panda/UPG
Location: Reno, Nevada Area
Current: CEO at Panda/UPG
Education: University of Utah
Connections: 17 connections
Public Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-l-lopez/13/265/187
fredcampagna says:
March 23, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Fred – could you post your letter here? Did your letter pretend that it was coming from an individual rather than an organization? If so, that is Phishing…
This could be the next Gleick-gate…
Frank – same letter as all the others. Email address is frank.spadazzi@forecastthefacts.org.
Hello!
I am a viewer here in Providence and I’m interested in the issue of climate change and how it is affecting our weather. As someone who studies these things, I was hoping to get your opinion.
As I’m sure you’re aware, there’s been a lot of extreme weather recently, and last year set records for severe weather events. From what I have read, climate change is a factor in all of this. Because I’m interested in climate change and weather, I have joined a campaign called Forecast the Facts, which is focused on how broadcast meteorologists report on this important issue. They’ve helped to put me in touch with reporters like you to ask them their views.
I know that the American Meteorological Society says that human-induced climate change is occurring and is largely created by humans. I’m also aware of reports that climate change is likely to have an impact on weather events like heat waves, droughts, and shifting rainfall patterns. Do you agree with the AMS’ position? Do you think climate change is happening? And do you think it will have an impact on weather in Providence?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Frank Spadazzi
Providence, RI
What? Could “human-induced climate change” really be “largely created by humans”?
ZootCadillac, Brian h, others:
Whatever happened to just highlighting the text, then right key mouse and using copy for a save; or typing original in a Word or similar document then copying and pasting. Are MACs this un-versatile?
You may not get a visit from John Lopez, but you can expect one from the Inquisitor General in the near future.
“If you thought the dishonest tactics taken by Gleick et al were somewhat under the tableau of honesty, I am beginning to find that it is a pattern that is beings followed by much of the CAGW movement as a whole.”
Unfortunately yes, it is so. It is enough to look at the continuous adjustments of the past, in any temperature data or sea level data. Once you take the time to look at it you see the pattern.
Mike,
I have lived in Reno for 38 years and enjoyed your TV work ever since you arrived. Now you are my hero for standing up this way, when I’m sure there is some risk to your position (not knowing what KTVN management’s position on CAGW might be.)
I will let KTVN know how much your work is appreciated (without necessarily telling them exactly why I appreciate it!)
Brian Adams
” … human-induced climate change is occurring and is largely created by humans ..”
I might add that chicken-induced climate change is largely created by chickens. Same with rabbit-induced climate change. I wonder what the percentages are?
Did the AMS really say this?
Heavens… I’m not sure I expected this kind of response, but thanks to all on both sides who commented. I also apologize for the numerous typos…I’m still getting used to the auto correct on the iPad. I think most of all of my media colleagues have gotten the same letter, as the links to the thead in Medialine has indicated.
Again, I want to emphasize that I don’t mind an open and honest debate about the issue (in fact… I encourage it, as most here on this blog seem to want). But the use of deception, and ultimately intimidation to squelch dissent creates a scientific fascism in which science itself can only end up the loser.
How can anyone live in Nevada for any length of time and NOT experience extreme weather? I’ve been in the mountains and the desert there and in Utah and experienced extreme weather numerous times. Sometimes several kinds of extreme weather in the same afternoon and the same location!
Jay Davis
Anthony
No. 943 – WMO annual statement confirms 2011 as 11th warmest on record
Climate change accelerated in 2001-2010, according to preliminary assessment
GENEVA, 23 MARCH 2012 (WMO) – The World Meteorological Organization’s Annual Statement on the Status of the Global Climate said that 2011 was the 11th warmest since records began in 1850. It confirmed preliminary findings that 2011 was the warmest year on record with a La Niña, which has a cooling influence. Globally-averaged temperatures in 2011 were estimated to be 0.40° Centigrade above the 1961-1990 annual average of 14°C.
http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/index_en.html