Some people say you shouldn’t poke a bear with a stick, for obvious reasons.
I’ll say one thing for Mr. Steyn, he never gives up poking the ‘MannBearPig’, even when being sued. Steyn writes on his web page today:
…
Which brings us to Michael Mann, the fake Nobel laureate currently suing NATIONAL REVIEW for mocking his global-warming “hockey stick.” Of the recent congressional hearings, Dr. Mann tweeted that it was “#Science” — i.e., the guy who agrees with him — vs. “#AntiScience” — i.e., Dr. Judith Curry, chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. That’s to say, she is by profession a scientist, but because she has the impertinence to dissent from Dr. Mann’s view she is “#AntiScience.” Mann is the climatological equivalent of those bozo imams on al-Arabiya raging about infidel whores: He can’t refute Dr. Curry, he can only label her.
He explains his aversion to appearing with anyone other than fawning groupies thus: “Getting on a debate stage signals that, while you might disagree, you respect the position of your opponent. #WhyWeDontDebateScienceDeniers.” But the reality is that he’s too insecure and dull-witted to argue. That’s why he’s suing me over a pun (“tree-ring circus”), why he threatened legal action in Minnesota over a song parody, and why he’s in court in Vancouver objecting to a bit of wordplay. “You can’t say that!” is the refrain of those who can’t hold their own. Michael Mann is seeking massive damages from me and this magazine. Nuts to that. But I would be willing to buy him a course in debating technique — because in free societies that’s how you win. I’d also like to buy the wee thin-skinned chap a sense of humor, but I don’t think there’s a course for that.
~You can help Mark defend himself against Dr Mann’s lawsuit by supporting the SteynOnline bookstore and by purchasing our new Steyn gift certificates.
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Source: http://www.steynonline.com/6079/yes-we-can-say-that
Readers might want to read what Dr. Curry has to say about all of this in her essay:
JC challenge to MM: Since you have publicly accused my Congressional testimony of being ‘anti-science,’ I expect you to (publicly) document and rebut any statement in my testimony that is factually inaccurate or where my conclusions are not supported by the evidence that I provide.
He has not responded to my challenge, other than to retweet some rather dubious blog posts.
See: http://judithcurry.com/2014/01/26/mann-versus-steyn/
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We have a saying in Brazil: You shouldn’t poke a jaguar with a SHORT stick.
@ur momisugly It doesn’t add up… says:
February 8, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Math r hard for alarmists. Even averages escape their abilities. 😉
So a Man who gets his treasured data from the same place Cartman stored his treasure, will not mass debate in public.
When pressed by team Blank, we imagined a Man to say “Mass debation is immoral, unhealthy, and a sin. Each sinful act is a Steyn on Gaia’s soul. Anyone who promotes mass debation, or holds any kind of debate from other than the pure eco-missionary position, will be converted to eco friendly bio oil substitute and be used to lubricate the windmills (since burning in hell is no longer an option).
“In light of this I can now reveal my campaign to eradicate mass debation. The process is thus: take the world crop of corn and smash apart with our hockey sticks. Extract the sugars and all other nutritional value to make bio-fuels. Scientifically roll, dry, and cook the remaining solid matter to make cereal flakes of a level of deliciousness appropriate to the disgusting anti-science deniers. It is then up to all us scienceologists to jam 97% more of these flakes of corn than is possible into our ears so that we cannot hear anything other than our perfectly holey ideas. That should discourage any kind of debate. Anybody who disagrees with this, or thinks this is a stupid idea, smells.”
Sometimes I worry. About myself. Delete as appropriate.
can’t see the MSM giving Steyn much support…
7 Feb: New Scientist: Aviva Hope Rutkin: US ‘climate hubs’ to save farms from extreme weather
“USDA’s climate hubs are part of our broad commitment to developing the next generation of climate solutions,” said agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement on Wednesday.
“The nation is recognising that climate change is real,” says Lindsay Rustad, co-leader of the north-eastern hub. “This isn’t just this week or this month. This is redirecting a significant portion of USDA resources to address the problem.”…
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25023-us-climate-hubs-to-save-farms-from-extreme-weather.html
7 Feb: UK Telegraph: Neil Tweedie: Somerset flooding: Lord Smith fights to turn back a rising tide of blame
Environment Agency chief Lord Smith insists he has no reason to apologise as he finally pays a visit to the Levels
As for David Cameron, wasn’t it his government, asked Lord Smith, who had left the Environment Agency with just £400,000 to dredge the relevant waterways? This, said the EA chairman, represented a totally inadequate sum for the task, a deficiency that was only now being remedied by an emergency injection of £130 million from Whitehall.
He neglected to mention, however, that he had promised dredging work on the rivers after the 2012 floods — a so-called “once in a century” event…
***The people who inhabit the low-lying villages and hamlets of mid-Somerset have been warning for years about the authorities’ failure to dredge rivers and maintain drainage ditches.
They also blame English Nature for encouraging farmers to maintain their land in a permanently waterlogged state so as to encourage lapwings and other wetland birds. A disaster waiting to happen that has now, well, happened…
Faced with a lot of angry Tory voters in central Somerset, Mr Cameron addressed the dredging issue head-on, admitting that it had been a mistake to stop work on the Parrett and Tone and promising to reinstate it in future.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10625673/Somerset-flooding-Lord-Smith-fights-to-turn-back-a-rising-tide-of-blame.html
even the Tele exaggerates in the headline:
8 Feb: UK Telegraph: Tim Ross: Climate change is to blame, says Met Office scientist
Flooding like that in Somerset may become more frequent
Dame Julia Slingo, the Met Office’s chief scientist, said while there was not yet “definitive” proof, “all the evidence” supported the theory that climate change had played a role.
She warned that the country should prepare for similar events in future.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10626736/Climate-change-is-to-blame-says-Met-Office-scientist.html
doubt if Big Business with help fund Steyn’s defense given HP, Walmart & GE are busy finding work for “WELL-TRAINED environmentalists”. much, much more at the link:
8 Feb: Bloomberg: Andrea Vittorio: Big Companies Step Up Efforts to Trim Environmental Risks in Supply Chains
China accounted for about 40 percent of GE’s supplier assessments in 2012 and 56 percent of “findings,” which occur when auditors note issues at a facility, such as a missing permit.
But the auditing program wasn’t generating long-term improvement in most suppliers, Condon said. So in 2011, GE added a requirement for suppliers to move from a “find-it-and-fix-it mode to more of a management-system mode,” she said.
Using a new key performance indicators (KPI) tool introduced in 2012, GE now compiles a scorecard for suppliers on how well they’re managing issues related to the environment, health, safety, labor rights, security and human rights.
***For example, Condon said one of the key indicators is whether a facility has a well-trained environmental specialist. The supplier could receive a score from zero to five, depending on the environmental expert’s level of training…
GE doesn’t have enough data yet to show how well the KPI tool is working, but it has seen that suppliers who score better on their management systems tend to have fewer audit findings and less severe findings, which means GE can audit them less often, Condon said.
To help suppliers build these EHS management systems, GE has partnered with local and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on training and education programs…
GE was one of several founding partners of the Environment, Health and Safety Academy launched in 2009 in China’s Guangdong Province, which is known as the “factory to the world.” …
The academy works with local universities and other organizations to provide training in essential skills for EHS management, including labor practices, and in sustainability leadership, through courses on greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, water resources and related topics.
GE, Pfizer, Honeywell, Wal-Mart and other multinational companies have provided training materials for the academy, which teaches a combination of local regulatory requirements and international best practices…
Hundreds of global companies have sent their EHS managers and suppliers to be trained in ISC’s program in China…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-07/big-companies-step-up-efforts-to-trim-environmental-risks-in-supply-chains.html
Folks, farther up in this thread it was asked who was (likely) funding (wo)mann (named Sue).
Sore@ur momisugly$$, er, Soros was mentioned. True. There are others.
There is an ENORMOUS amount of money at stake here, and even a little skimming off the top as the locusts are wont to do will be quite a lot….we need to make EVERYONE aware of the magnitude of what’s going on here…as it’s OUR MONEY that is being redistributed…
There are folks involved here who sold out their own people(s) in WWII….they’ll sell us out too, and not bat an eye….
Steyn is just a stone in the road, as it were….silence him, silence opposition…silence truth… BUT, truth will out….no matter how much money is involved…
“pat says:
February 8, 2014 at 5:22 pm
doubt if Big Business with help fund Steyn’s defense given HP, Walmart & GE are busy finding work for “WELL-TRAINED environmentalists”. much, much more at the link:”
Ironic, considering that China is one of, if not the biggest polluter(s) in the world, not to mention
one of the largest users of questionable materials (Phtalates,melamine, etc.).
Have to laugh, HP used to be a leader in packaging, environmental responsibility, design, etc.,
now they’re just a follower (hey, I’ve reviewed PSP’s, etc., so I know…).
Big business will go where the money is, that’s why they’re big….as I said before, the truth will out…but it’s up to US to do it…
“Piltdown” Mann, like his namesake, cobbled together authentic pieces to make a constructed fraud. No wonder he sought to the end to stall examination of those pieces.
Climatology is the WWE of the science world. I can’t stop watching.
Poking anyone, bear or not, with a stick is shockingly bad manners.
It is vital that we chip in to support Mark Steyn, so that the SLAPP-happy warmists know that we will support any defendant in these cases, whether they can afford to defend themselves or not, and whether or nor the defendant is eloquent and persuasive, like Steyn,
Policycritic: Freedom of speech is not contingent upon whether the speech is a lie or not. You’re free to lie in this country as a Florida judge found in the case of a suit against Fox News over a decade ago. The judge ruled that Fox News was not required to tell the truth. Maybe you’re Canadian; broadcasters can go to jail for lying, as a I understand it.
Given the degree to which Policycritic and the writer that Policycritic linked to misrepresent the case, it’s probably fortunate for them people aren’t required by law to tell the truth.
The case is New World Communication of Tampa, Inc. v. Akre. The court held that the plaintiff, Akre, shouldn’t have been allowed to sue the defendant under the state’s whistleblower statute. The statue applied only if the employee reported a violation of an “adopted rule,” and the court held the violation of FCC policy that Akre alleged the defendant had violated was not an adopted rule.
It’s true, as the linked to site claims, that “the court did not dispute the heart of Akre’s claim, that Fox pressured her to broadcast a false story to protect the broadcaster from having to defend the truth in court, as well as suffer the ire of irate advertisers.” It’s equally true that the court didn’t agree with Akre’s claim. The court had no need to decide the question either way, so it didn’t. The article claims “the attorneys for Fox, owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch, argued the First Amendment gives broadcasters the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on the public airwaves.” Some form of that may well have been part of Fox’s argument, but as anyone who knows anything about the law realizes, that doesn’t mean they admitted lying or distorting news reports. They likely argued both that what they reported was true and undistorted, and that even if it weren’t, they still couldn’t be sued because of it. That sort of “arguing in the alternative” may seem slightly odd in normal life, but it’s commonplace in legal arguments. In fact, according to a Wikipedia article, Reason magazine “noted that Akre’s argument in the trial was that Akre and Wilson believed news distortion occurred, but that they did not have to prove this was the case.”
Both Akre and her husband, also a reporter, sued on a number of claims. Her husband lost on all his claims, and Akre won only on the later-overturned whistleblower claim.
Louis says: @ur momisugly February 8, 2014 at 9:39 am
Here’s a suggestion: Buy a Steyn gift certificate. When it arrives, tear it up….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Oh, NO, don’t tear them up.
There is so much fun you could have with those gift certificates. Get a bunch of friends to buy them and send them to:
1. Local newspaper editor
2. Local college environmental or poli sci department
3. local library
4. Mikey M.
I vote for # 4
This interconversion process co converts UV radiation into thermal energy, heating the stratosphere. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Ozone_cycle.svg/1052px-Ozone_cycle.svg.png
Ozone absorbs the cosmic radiation, which can be seen on the monitor. Where there is more ozone, less radiation reaches the Earth.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/strat_a_f/gif_files/gfs_t70_nh_f00.gif
http://oi57.tinypic.com/1znrker.jpg
Thanks, MJW; policycritic laid her little egg and is off in headless pursuit of another bit of falling sky.
===========
What beats me is how Mann gets any work done given that he appears to spend all of every day abusing people who disagree with him. How do his employers run with this?
Moderator: You missed “Readers might want to read what Dr. Curtry has to say about all of this in her essay”
First noted at:
M Simon says:
February 8, 2014 at 7:37 am
“Dr. Curtry” ???????????
[Most errors, once pointed out, can be corrected. Thank you for the observation. Mod]
Re Steyn’s absence of a Paypal link – that is very likely due to how Mark runs his business ventures as a writer, personality and publisher. A Paypal donation is problematic from an income reporting perspective, as he currently can expense out much of his costs due to the nature of his business enterprise. He is not a registered charity.
I would NOT suggest using the gift certificate, or mailing it to anybody. The less cost attached to it is best for Mark – they are cheap to produce, are an expensable liability, but something he must honour if they are presented.
Better, buy his books and enjoy them. Pick up a couple of gift certificates at the same time as your “donation”. Use them for bookmarks….:)
Durn, didn’t close the italics tag properly after the first use of the word “donation”, if mods wish to fix.
Soros seems an Alpha predator to me; a genius, neither left nor right. Nevertheless, his pack of paid leftie mouthpieces ‘worry the prey’ efficiently, which is the United States economy. We are not privy to his investments, but looking at the history, his game seems to be betting against economic foundations. Pure speculation, but might he be massively short on, say, coal equities and/or positioned to take advantage of a weakening U.S. dollar? Throwing it out there. These NGO’s do a marvelous job of sowing seeds of doubt in the citizenry and planting real obstacles in the road to a healthy economy. Why?
Propaganda should never be exposed to doubt. That is why Mann and the others will never subject themselves to debate. With debate brings doubt. With doubt discussion. With discussion comes examination. With examination destruction of propaganda.
Who in the field of science still backs someone who writes such things ?
Mr. Steyn is being sued for claiming that Doctor Mann manipulated his data. Not that he made a bad pun about tree rings. Being dragged into court for detaining Dr. Mann’s work will put him in the uncomfortable position of having to actually prove that his accusations have some merit and are not meely cheap slander.
In this blog, Mr. Steyn stated “Which brings us to Michael Mann, the fake Nobel laureate”. It would seem that he cannot stop himself from committing liable as he tries to belittle his targets.
”The IPCC presented Mann, along with all other “scientists that had contributed substantially to the preparation of IPCC reports”, with a personalized certificate “for contributing to the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 to the IPCC,” celebrating the joint award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC and to Al Gore.[50][51] [52][53] (source-Wikipedia)
I notice the legal team provided by National Review founded by the late William F. Buckley has withdrawn from the case because of Mr. Steyn’s unsupportable comments about the presiding judge. Mr. Steyn is having some trouble recruiting and financing his own legal team, at the moment.
I did a quick check on Dr. Judith Curry and she has not done any research on long term climate change. Her comments relate to “rushing to judgment” and are not based on any research she has done on the subject, regardless of her field of specialty. Call me when someone collects actual data that contradicts Dr. Mann’s studies.
Under Wikipedia, Vexatious Litigant, one of the labeled Vexatious Litigants is the Church of Scientology.
Perhaps Steyn could get the “Church of Climate Change” (previously known as the “Church of Global Warming”) declared as a Vexatious Litigant. It is definetly a Religion to them and to deny is to be labeled a Heretic.
Re Mr. Jan says:
February 9, 2014 at 7:27 am
————————
Nonsense. He doesn’t have to prove Mann manipulated his data. All he has to prove that he believes Mann manipulated his data and didn’t maliciously make up that fact, which should be easy to do, since there are thousands of people out there, many of them climate scientists, who believe the same thing and have been expressing that belief on websites, in books and periodicals and in pretty much every form of media communication.
Mann claimed himself to be a Nobel prize winner in his complaint, which was later amended to remove that false claim. Here is Steyn on that:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/332396/nobel-warming-mark-steyn
You write: “I notice the legal team provided by National Review . . . has withdrawn from the case.” Correction: Steyn fired his legal team. And for good reason. He wants to go to trial and not engage in endless appeals which only end up enriching lawyers.
You write: ” Call me when someone collects actual data that contradicts Dr. Mann’s studies.”
What’s your number? I want to give you the link to Steve McIntyre’s website. He proved that the hockey stick graph is a product of statistical techniques that don’t pass muster. So it might be true that Mann didn’t “torture and molest the data,”–although I believe he did– but certainly he tortured and molested prescribed statistical methods.
When Steyn calls the hockey stick “fraudulent,” it is not necessarily an accusation that Mann committed academic fraud, although it appears that Mann did do that, a subject which will obviously be explored in depth at the trial. It could mean that he believes Mann used data that was incorrect and didn’t know it. And that the constant and repetitive use of the hockey stick to sell the flawed theory of AGW as buttresesed by the hockey stick graph is fraudulent.
Mann is a government operative in this and is using the apparatus of the state to crush first amendment rights. You appear to be in favor of that. Why?
Your statements about Judith Curry are not actionable, but Mann did make an actionable defamatory statement when he described her Congressional testimony as “anti-science.” Would you support her lawsuit against Mann if she chose to file one?