And most regulars will recall William Connolley. Connolley’s likely best known for his hijinks as a former editor at Wikipedia. (See the WattsUpWithThat posts here, here, here, here, here, here here….and here.) But Connolley is also a former climate modeler with the British Antarctic Survey…plus a co-founder of, and former contributor to, the blog RealClimate, where he authored or co-authored a grand total of 14 blog posts from December, 2004 to March, 2008. Connolley now blogs at ScienceBlogs/Stoat.
WattsUpWithThat regulars will remember “Sou”, a.k.a. Miriam O’Brien. As Anthony Watts notes in his post My Blog Spawn:
Proprietor: “Sou from Bundangawoolarangeera” aka Miriam O’Brien of Mt. Beauty, VC, Australia
Some of Miriam’s skills: being a “a sixties-something woman with an interest in climate science“, sniping at WUWT, snark, Twitter snark, photography, business consulting, being on a board of directors.
Anthony continued:
Given her daily rants, she has now qualified for “Internet stalker” levels of infatuation and invective. Assigned to the permanent troll bin.
How do those two bloggers form the basis for an article?
More background: Connolley was the first troll to appear on the thread of my post I’m Retiring from Full-Time Climate Change Blogging. See his January 3, 2014 at 3:11 pm comment. But that’s not the subject of this post. This post is about Connolley’s first link in his blog post, one that serves as his reference for my work on the processes and aftereffects of El Niño and La Niña events—a body of work that includes more than 150 well-illustrated, data-based blog posts about El Niño and La Niña processes and one book solely about ENSO. Connolley writes. [I’ve removed his hyperlink attached to my name so that readers don’t get ahead of me]:
I hasten to add that RP Sr is not speaking of me, no, he is talking of renowned blogger Bob Tisdale.
Where would you have expected the hyperlink to lead? My blog? Maybe WattsUpWithThat? Maybe the exchange I had last year at SkepticalScience about the long-term effects of ENSO?
Give up? The hyperlink was to a post by Miriam O’Brien from HotWhopper. (I’m glad I hadn’t been drinking coffee when I clicked on that link.)
As a reference for his understanding of my work, Connolley linked Miriam O’Brien’s post Bob Tisdale is Perennially Puzzled about ENSO [Miriam hyperlinks to archives, not the original blog posts, so I’ve done the same here]. Miriam’s post is her response to my post titled SkepticalScience Still Misunderstands or Misrepresents the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). (The WattsUpWithThat cross post is here.) In that post, I provided graphs of a number of datasets broken down into logical subsets that contradicted the SkepticalScience representation of ENSO, and I challenged SkepticalScience to provide links to climate model-based, peer-reviewed papers that explained why those variables for specific parts of the globe responded as they did to El Niño and La Niña events.
Of course, Miriam O’Brien did not address the content of my post. She did not discuss the datasets I presented, as I had presented them. And Miriam quoted me out of context—nothing surprising there. Miriam could have saved herself a lot of time by simply noting that she agreed with Nuccitelli’s post and disagreed with mine–but she didn’t. Miriam O’Brien wasted her time creating a couple of illustrations so that she could restate Dana Nuccitelli’s misunderstandings and misinformation.
Miriam O’Brien fancies herself an expert on just about every climate-related subject. Yet she is only capable of using the Monty Python contradiction approach to argument, which is why I find her blog so amusing…and, at the same time, I find her blogging style pitiable because she doesn’t realize she’s become an embodiment of a Python caricature.
CLOSING
It’s quite telling that William Connolley, a co-founder of RealClimate, used Miriam O’Brien’s HotWhopper post as a reference for his knowledge of ENSO. It indicates his understandings of the complex coupled ocean-atmosphere processes and aftereffects of El Niño and La Niña events are as limited as Miriam’s. And if Miriam O’Brien serves as one of his scientific or technical experts, it also suggests Connolley’s arguments about human-induced global warming have grown as laughable as hers.
Stripping down the earth to its simplest would be saying its a heat pump that receives heat at the equator and dissipates heat at the poles(plasma fountain, coldest temps, Birkeland currents, Aurora), generally speaking.
So if it get colder(heats loss is greater) at the poles then the earths overall temperature will fall… All the stuff in the middle of the system basically controls the weather. The overall temp is controlled by heat input and loss…
William Connolley says:
January 11, 2014 at 12:13 pm
“> If you’re not taking flak, you’re not over the target.
“You people really aren’t thinking.”
Connolley, you are a despicable propagandist. You are the antithesis of honest science; a self-serving scoundrel who CENSORS comments simply because you do not agree with them. You are the fly in the Wikipedia ointment. The turd in the Wiki punchbowl.
You don’t have the stones to go toe-to-toe with any credible skeptic, because you know that you would have your nose rubbed in the playground sand. That’s a given, because you know nothing of science. Propaganda is your specialty.
That is what I think. And as you can clearly see, I am thinking.
I do wonder how “history” will judge Connolly.
His actions are those of someone who is quite prepared to leave his moral compass in a dark corner of his mind because – to him- the “cause” is so important, that the niceties of honesty and integrity are of little regard, such is his self justification.
Literally – God help us from individuals whose arrogance lets them believe that their actions are somehow justifiable.
This very well connected Miriam O’Brien.
http://miriamobrienconsulting.com/index.htm
Anthony Watts says:
January 11, 2014 at 11:31 am
“@ur momisugly Bob I’ve always thought the Earth’s climate could be far better modeled by an analog circuit [than] a digital construct. Most of Nature is analog.”
Agree totally
Analogue: Always accurate, never precise.
Digital: Always precise, never accurate.
At this stage of the game the trolls like Miriam O’Brien and William Connolly are playing the role of resident fool. The joke is on them and they barely have the start of that nagging doubt in the back of their minds. We should keep them around for general amusement as their day of enlightenment will be a hilarious day of shame.
Betapug,
Interesting link. I wonder: what business would hire a “consultant” like Miriam O’Brien? Certainly, no business that knew of her internet ravings.
If Miriam is so knowledgeable, she should start her own business, instead of just giving advice. Then her advice would have the credibility of coming from a real business owner, instead of from an inexperienced “consultant”.
> he replied within 36 min
I get pingbacks. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? Like dis: http://scienceblogs.com/stoat/2014/01/03/retirement-of-a-dr-salesman/#comment-37680
> Hasn’t said much at all though. Care to defend yourself in detail?
Care to attack me in detail? I’m not seeing anything beyond vagueness. The one definite claim made I’ve already refuted. Otters offer nothing.
> You won’t get censored like some other sites might do, this is an open forum.
Officially, I’m banned here. Read all about it: http://scienceblogs.com/stoat/2012/05/02/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-1/ So the claim this is an “open forum” is distinctly dubious. But we’ll see.
> You don’t have the stones to go toe-to-toe with any credible skeptic, because you know that you would have your nose rubbed in the playground sand.
Come on dahling if you think you’re hard enough. You couldn’t cope last time.
> condescension
Talking to you lot its pretty tricky to do anything else.
Steven Mosher says: “Zilch about science and more about he said she said he said, I said, they said.”
Nope. It’s a he said, she said, I said, they said. You had an extra said.
“JaneHM says:
January 11, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Dr Connolley’s degrees are in mathematics and numerical analysis, not atmospheric physics or earth science physics.”
There is nothing wrong with degrees in mathematics and numerical analysis because they provide an overview context in which the behaviour of physical systems can be modelled, whereas atmospheric physics or earth science physics may be a little lacking in appreciation of the behaviour of chaotic systems and what is reasonable to model.
Then again, degrees in mathematics and numerical analysis do not necessarily endow the holder with a grip on reality.
“Connolley, you are a despicable propagandist……………………..”
He’ll be giggling so much at the attention that he’s likely to wet himself.
He should be ignored while his reputation continues to wither away into oblivion and disrepute.
Oops – I hope Mann doesn’t sue me for plagiarism.
Mirriam OBrien – what can I say – she sounds like the stereotype AGW/anti fossil fuel letter writer and activist. I cringe every time I see a grey haired, middle class woman with a cats arse face – you know, the pursed lips like Christine Milne. You just know she has warped views of the world. Probably married without getting to know hubby very well, unhappy for 40 years, feel like she “sacrificed” her career to pop out a couple of kids who dont love her as much as they should. She has always had a comfortable life, because hubby provided well, and in turn she turned a blind eye to hubby’s indiscretions. He might have been a doctor or a corporate type – perhaps even made his money from the oil industry. She’s never really thought about where the raw materials in that european car they drive comes from, or the bitumen on the roads, or the airconditioning at the supermarket or in their home, or how life would be if they didn’t have any of this. But they’ve definately got solar panels on their roof, because they are into “saving the planet”. Never mind the fact that most of their electricity usage doesn’t coincide with their peak production during daylight hours – someone else will take care of that. Her deep seated resentment of their lives drives her to try and destroy others’ happiness and the way of life that allowed hubby to provide for their comfortable standard of living. She secretly hates hubby (or ex hubby) but she has to direct this passion somewhere to prevent herself going more bat shit crazy – the menopause was bad enough on that count. What better way than to attack the very energy sources that hubby used or relied upon to generate their wealth. Those evil fossil fuels. “The establishment”. “They MUST be the source of my unhappiness”, she thinks, conveniently forgetting about her poor decisions earlier in life. They’re sending “our” profits overseas (conveniently forgetting about the billions of dollars “they” sent to our country as an investment) and destroying our environment (conveniently forgetting the facts). “I must do something. Maybe I’ll set up one of those weblog thingies.”
Steven Mosher, my mistake. I believe you may have been correct on this occasion. I missed a “he said”.
The left’s inability to stay focused, use specificity and contribute to the forward advancement of discussion has never been more prominently displayed than it is with anything Climate.
At the core of their defect, and responsible for most of their ailments, is their lacking the ability to recognize or weigh significance.
The misplacing of significance is at the heart of all of their wayward notions.
Every blessed one of them.
Their chronic propensity to react to the petty and waltz by the serious hobbles their judgement in so many ways that it may be a genetic disorder yet to be discovered.
This deficiency, found at every level from the anarchist of Occupy Wall Street to the distinguished professors, is responsible for the bulk of the left’s troubles.
I guess I’ll call it SDD
Significance Deficiency Disorder
Connolley says:
“Officially, I’m banned here. ”
heh. Officially, you’re nuts. ^As we see.^
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Connolley huffs and puffs: “Come on dahling if you think you’re hard enough. You couldn’t cope last time.”
Oh, I’m hard enough. Next to you, cream puff, there’s no comparison. And despite your snivelinbg about some vague coping, you should take your own advice, and post chapter and verse about how I didn’t ‘cope’.
Let’s have that debate! A debate between you and, say, Lord Monckton — the winner of numerous debates against impotent alarmist propagandists like yourself. [I would propose a debate between you and the ultimate Authority: Planet Earth. But Earth has already ruled, and you lost.]
YouTube never forgets. This should be good!
A few ground rules:
Moderator mutually agreeable. Audience chosen completely at random. Venue: Oxford, scene of a previous climate debate.
Winner takes the loser’s place, whether it’s writing articles for WUWT, or moderating Wikipedia comments and articles. Let’s roll the dice!
I think William Connelly’s actions speak for his lack of expertise.
Steve Oregon says:
January 11, 2014 at 4:25 pm “””” well said. Problem being: they find breeding partners. conman has a couple of kids – luckily most children grow up and rebel against their … parents.
Just a suggestion… you may want to lock this thread. It’s degenerated into a series of personal attacks.
Dr Connolley’s degrees are in mathematics and numerical analysis, not atmospheric physics or earth science physics.”
Oh no! He has a similar background to me 🙁
William Connolley says: “Officially, I’m banned here. Read all about it…”
Obviously, you haven’t been banned permanently if Anthony replied to your earlier comment and I’m reading part of your second. I’ve come to the conclusion that you are immune to reality and common sense.
Have a nice day, William.
>> Connolley’s likely best known for his hijinks as a former editor at Wikipedia.
Connolley still edits at Wikipedia, with about 1000 edits in 2013. A quick reckoning shows he made about 420 edits to 108 climate related articles or article discussions. To be fair, some of these edits were just reverts of ‘vandalism’, but he clearly still monitors a vast array of climate related wiki material.
Some of his favorite topics last year, with number of edits:
Global warming
Global warming (40)
Global warming controversy (24)
List of scientists opposing the mainstream scientific assessment of global warming (11)
Global warming conspiracy theory (6)
Effects of global warming (3)
Politics of global warming (2)
Climate change
Climate change (7)
Scientific opinion on climate change (23)
Attribution of recent climate change (3)
Public opinion on climate change (1)
Tipping point (climatology) (4)
Abrupt climate change (1)
Runaway climate change (8)
Climate, miscellaneous
Climate sensitivity (24)
Climate engineering (2)
Climate (2)
Climate state (7)
Greenhouse…
Greenhouse effect (15)
Greenhouse gas (10)
Greenhouse and icehouse Earth (9)
Runaway greenhouse effect (2)
Arctic/Antarctic
Arctic sea ice decline (6)
Sea ice (3)
Polar ice packs (1)
Climate of the Arctic (1)
Climate change in the Arctic (2)
Arctic methane release (1)
Clathrate gun hypothesis (2)
Climate of Antarctica (4)
West Antarctic Ice Sheet (1)
Arctic Ocean (1)
IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (4)
IPCC Second Assessment Report (2)
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (6)
IPCC list of greenhouse gases (1)
Others of note
Milankovitch cycles (14)
International Climate Science Coalition (17)
Hockey stick controversy (3)
Climatic Research Unit email controversy (3)
And finally
Watts Up With That? (2)
Con nolley reminds me of the kid that just had to try and lick the frozen gate post !
I think I’ll just take a deep breath.
Maybe the scribes will do the same ?
There used to be a time when we actually did something, rather than become masters of Wikipedia.
Let’s recognize that Connolley’s merit has been to expose Wikipedia and its main funding for what it is. Thanks to his inquisitive work, the hunted have been able to organize themselves better in order to deliver information that he and his minions won’t be able to suppress.