The 97% Thunderdome is revving up! Brandon Shollenberger has issued a direct challenge to Cook and UQ, and has published the threatening letter about that “secret” data for Cook’s “97% consensus” study that was published under an “open” Creative Commons License. From that “openness” Jo Nova made the hilarious graphic at left for her essay on the fiasco. Send her chocolate.
Shollenberger writes:
As most of you know, I recently received a threatening letter from the University of Queensland. This letter made a variety of threats and demands. The the strangest one was it suggested I’d be sued if I showed anyone the letter. Today, I intend to challenge that claim.
Some people suggested I should have immediately published the letter. I understand that view. It was my immediate reaction upon receiving the letter. The idea of a university from another country suing me because I published a letter in which they threatened to sue me was laughable. It was as empty a threat as I could imagine.
Still, I’ve been told I let myself get baited too easily. It seemed unwise to act hastily rashly when the issue of a lawsuit was at hand. I thought taking a few days to think about matters was sensible.
I have now, and I’ve talked to a number of people about this. Everything I’ve seen and heard agrees: The threat against me publishing the letter was bogus and pathetic. It might have even been unethical.
…
Until I do, I want to challenge the University of Queensland to stand by what it has said. I’m calling their bluff. I’ve published their letter, and I await the legal proceedings we all know will never come.
…So here’s the challenge I want to propose to the Skeptical Science team, to the University of Queensland, and to anyone else who thinks I shouldn’t release the data I possess:
Tell me what material I possess could cause harm if disseminated. Tell me what agreements or contractual obligations would be impinged upon if that material were released to the public.
If you are unable or unwilling to meet such a simple challenge, I’ll release the data and you can bite me. I mean, sue me.
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Read it all here as well as see the letter: http://hiizuru.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/a-direct-challenge/
In other news: Popcorn futures are expected to open at record highs tomorrow at the Chicago Board of Trade. Here’s last week’s closing numbers:
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This is gonna be good…
Really looking forward to this…
Go for it Schollenberger! 🙂
Is there a law that can be used against them for intimidation?
Popcorn futures will open with a wide opening gap 🙂
Absolutely loved the graphic!
And let’s hope when they serve Schollenbarger… Sheldenberger… Sholonborger… Shollenberger… whatever… they get they right name on the papers. That would be the ultimate hoot if they served papers with the wrong name.
This is going to get exciting. I’ve got the popcorn in. Can’t wait to see what the UQ reaction is. A public tantrum, probably. Cook won’t be happy, either.
University Challenge.
I am getting really tired of popcorn.
Righteous !
Turn the nob to 11 !
Ha ha.
Oh ! BTW. Track RSX (Gasprom) on the NYSE for this week … BIG DEAL … Yea it is a BIG DEAL .. Brewing (Strange Brew) in China (Russia + China Natural Gas Deal is brewing !). Should be loads of FUN ! HA HA.
Be ready for “saturation trading” on NYSE … It will be HARD and FAST use Wavelet Filters at the Nanosecond level.
Be ready !
Gear Up !
Cheers All.
NO BULLSHIT
Publish or persish.Publish and FlourishMy My My, could be a 97% chance they get their panites in a wad now.
Obama will issue another strongly worded letter and stop trade with Mr.Shollenberger forth with.
snark to the 10th power
I read he’s in the United States, good luck sueing him for publishing a letter voluntarily sent to him in the land of the free.
Chortle!
I just want you to know, I did see you misspell my name.
REPLY: Hi Brandon, that particular mispelling, it’s ingrained. Like you, I grew up in the Midwest, and I went to school with large families of kids that were named Scholle and Schoeff. There were no “Sh….” sans c families in my town. At least this time I caught it on my own. – Three’s a charm. – Anthony
It is my understanding that when someone send you a letter, it is yours to do with as you please. The sender can not control who you choose to share it with unless there is an agreement made before they sent it.
SIGINT EX says:
May 18, 2014 at 6:23 pm
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Mr Zee says:
May 18, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Is there a law that can be used against them for intimidation?
Based on my experience, it’s not law that would be most threatening – what you want to do is get the interest of the politicians that can affect funding to the university. As soon as a university hears that some position they have taken is bringing unfavorable attention from politicians who can affect its funding, the university backs down.
So, where does Queensland University get its funding and who can influence it?
Brandon,
Good on you.
It is time to call out the dysfunction of AGW.
Anthony, no problem. Everyone does it. I’ve seen people copy and paste my name then go back and add the ‘c’ because they were sure it had been misspelled.
Besides, that’s mild. Earlier today, I got an e-mail which addressed me as “Ms. Shollenberger.”
Part of my faith in humanity has been restored.
What an excellent decision by Mr. Shollenberger.
Good luck.
It’s a popcorn futures hockey stick and it’s worse than the models predicted.
Brandon Shollenberger says:
May 18, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Besides, that’s mild. Earlier today, I got an e-mail which addressed me as “Ms. Shollenberger.”
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I once had a newspaper article award me a non-existent wife.
I guess there are some cultures where standing within arm’s length of a woman in a press photo means you are married.
artwest, to make things more confusing, I’ve been mistaken for a female twice in the last month. I’ve also had one (drunk) women come up to me and ask if I was a man or woman.
That reminds me, I forgot to respond to that guy’s e-mail. I should go do that.