Story submitted by Eric Worrall
Apollo 7 Astronaut Walter Cunningham has described climate alarmism as fraud, while presenting a preview of his upcoming Heartland presentation scheduled July 7-9 to MRCTV.
“Since about 2000, I looked farther and farther into it,” Col. Cunningham (USMC, Ret.) tells MRCTV in an exclusive interview. “I found that not one of the claims that the alarmists were making out there had any bearings, whatsoever. And, so, it was kind of a no-brainer to come to the conclusion.”
Cunningham blames the media for climate hype.
“The media are largely to blame for public misconceptions – not because they’re intentionally misleading the public, but because they “just don’t want to go into the time and trouble to find out.” “If they do go into it and look at it for themselves, they become a lot more neutral in their presentation,” he says.”
Cunningham ends with a scathing attack on the current state of scientific inquiry.
“I can only tell you that, even back in the days of Apollo, we didn’t have to face this kind of nonsense”
Ed Zuiderwijk says: “Science = The mental attitude that the professor is wrong”
My teenager almost always considers me wrong. Does that make my teenager a scientist? No.
“It is hard to fill a cup that is already full” is closer to an accurate description about learning science. Does your cup have room for more? That’s a good start. Do you want to add more knowledge? Even better. Does the professor know things you don’t? Probably. Might the professor be mistaken or his/her knowledge incomplete? Yes, but yours is even more mistaken and incomplete.
I had a photography teacher in high school. I was sure I could make photos as well as he. Rather than merely arguing about it he challenged me to a bet (loser buys giant ice cream cones). Target: License plate at 100 yards (far end of the football field). I was shooting 35mm high contrast copy film, very high resolution, infinite resolution in my mind. He was shooting 4×5 inch with a 135mm lens on a Crown Graphic, not sure what film, probably Tri-x. The outcome was predictable by him — easily read the license plate, my photo could barely tell there was a license plate.
You see, he knew the physical properties of light; I did not.
Mods, this may go into moderation – That’s OK, thanks for your hard work.
MJB
Cheap shot? Moderation? Are you kidding? Good grief.
The Warmists trot out innumerable high-profile airheaded celebrities and politicians to spout the CAGW propaganda. Of course Col. Cunningham is more grounded and reasoned than them.
But the fact that it’s him doesn’t make what he’s saying more true or less true.
“Have no respect whatsoever for authority; forget who said it and instead look what he starts with, where he ends up, and ask yourself, is it reasonable?”
Richard Feynman
What’s wrong with that, may I ask?
Some interesting info…
“In United States English, the phrase “fourth estate” is contrasted with the “fourth branch of government”, a term that originated because no direct equivalents to the estates of the realm exist in the United States. The “fourth estate” is used to emphasize the independence of the press, while the “fourth branch” suggests that the press is not independent of the government.”
The media has long since stopped performing this function giving rise to the Fifth Estate:
“… the Fifth Estate is not simply the blogging community, nor an extension of the media, but ‘networked individuals’ enabled by the Internet in ways that can hold the other estates accountable.”
Walter does have a solid CV. You could do worse relying on him as an authority. He’s and astronaut; up there with Medal of Honor in the public’s eye. Some will listen and hear him out.
“Cunningham received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960 and his Master of Arts degree in 1961, both in Physics, from the University of California at Los Angeles. He then worked as a scientist for the Rand Corporation while pursuing a doctorate.”
Walter Cunningham isn’t the only astronaut who is a “denier”. The last one to walk on the moon is also a “denier”. Obama said deniers think the moon is made of cheese. See http://appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/ObamasCheese.htm for details — in 2012 49 NASA scientists (including 11 astronauts) signed a letter disputing AGW.
dear eustace:
i see nothing out of line with your remark because, obviously, it’s not the content that’s interesting- we all know it and have heard it forever.
what is interesting is Who is saying it- obviously not to be dismissed as a flat-earther or moon-landing-hoax person.
but, eustace, any forum, when it’s been around for a long enough time, develops a memeplex and a catechism.
further, one or more individuals will begin to correct anybody whom they regard as having strayed from the understood.to.be acceptable framing of the particular rationale for which the forum is known. blog mullahs sprout up like mushrooms. oh, the taste of powah…lol
so i don’t’ think you needed any correction or any grief.
if a person can parse cunningham’s ungrammatical speech, he should be able to get your point.
As said follow the money.
One needs to know nothing of the stated cause and effect, the money flows reveal enough.
Force of government is being employed to take money from the many, harming the poor most.
To the exclusive benefit of the well connected few.
With zero benefit to the claimed victim, our environment.
At closer examination there are negative effects on the environment caused by the CAGW scam.
As an impoverished public seek cheaper/affordable means of lighting and heating their homes.
So when do we start prosecuting the fools and bandits who have created and perpetuated this global FRAUD?
Eustace Cranch says:
July 6, 2014 at 9:20 am
“But the fact that it’s him doesn’t make what he’s saying more true or less true.”
Absolutely correct. Having authority does not make ones statements ‘truer’, but it does make them far more ‘newsworthy’, and newsworthy things have the perception of being true to the general public.
Warmests have ignored the truth about climate change, but complete embrace the reality of media and public relations. We skeptics completely embrace the truth about climate change but have ignored the reality of media and public relations.
In the long run, the truth always wins, but that can take thousands of years. In the short term, authority, even when wrong, usually wins the day, especially if the ‘truth’ is somewhat complicated (like climate change science). We have ignored this reality at our own peril.
Fortunately, ‘authority’ is an extremely subjective concept, and can often be created by simply declaring it with authority. All those attending the conference in Las Vegas this week should subtly refer to each other as world-leading authorities on their given subjects. And every report should be referred to as ground breaking, unprecedented and state of the art, to build up the perception of gravitas among those who might be watching. The warmests do this very thing because they are realistic about the media, even though they cannot be realistic about the climate. We can be realistic (logical) about both the climate and the media, and win the day much sooner than if we continue to ignore the reality of how media works.
“We skeptics completely embrace the truth about climate change but have ignored the reality of media and public relations.”
Well said, Jim Clarke. Unfortunately the media will run all stories through their warmist filter as they torpedo the skeptic message. Only this morning listening to NPR, half awake, I heard someone claiming penguins are in big trouble like polar bears and it’s our fault…huh? Hasn’t that already been discredited? Not in their minds. I mean it could happen and it would be horrible.
‘Walt’ Cunningham from the link: “I am not a climate scientist; I have not done anything that you would consider climate science…”
Well, that convinces me 🙂
Of course. What’s good about his public contrarianism is that he can’t be dismissed as a crank or a crook, that, he will easily outweigh the warmist endorsement of less credible figures like Paulson and Bloomberg in the court of public opinion, and that he might embolden others. Also, that he will attract some press attention to the upcoming ICCC (which should be renamed the CCCC, with the first word being Contrarian).
“Village Idiot says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:12 am
‘Walt’ Cunningham from the link: “I am not a climate scientist; I have not done anything that you would consider climate science…”
Well, that convinces me :-)”
You, sir, are well named.
Village Idiot says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:12 am
‘Walt’ Cunningham from the link: “I am not a climate scientist; I have not done anything that you would consider climate science…”
Well, that convinces me 🙂
==========================
But if Forrest Gore had the quote, that’s cool?
“Village Idiot says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:12 am
‘Walt’ Cunningham from the link: “I am not a climate scientist; I have not done anything that you would consider climate science…”
Well, that convinces me :-)”
But he is a scientists and well educated and accomplished in the process of science. He has the tools to actually understand the arguments and evidence around climate change, and make an educated decision. Al Gore is not a scientist, and he barely passed when a few teachers tried to educate him in the process of science. Al Gore is the perfect example of using of the power of authority and media savvy to persuade the masses in the absence of knowledge an truth.
You, sir, are the perfect example of how effective that is.
The MSM are not intentionally misleading the public. They truly believe the narrative, because it fits entirely within their anti-capitalist, pro-socialist, “some people are bad so we must control all people, and you should do what I say because I am smarter than you and know what’s best for you” world view. It is the intersection of confirmation bias, argument by authority, availability bias, and a few other logical fallacies.
Also, there is an ounce to truth in the theory (yes GSG warms the planet, the question is by how much, and is it necessarily bad), so it’s easy for them to believe all the lies that go along with the small truths.
They are so invested in this belief that they honestly believe that we are the ones intentionally misleading the public. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs.
In the Obama era truth is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant.
“albertalad says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:46 am
In the Obama era truth is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant.”
I wouldn’t say they are irrelevant, but there is at least a considerable ‘lag’ in relevance.
@Robert Bissett at 9:28 am
My own opinion is that the some of the commercial media has gradually evolved from the fourth estate to a Fifth Column
But the fact that it’s him doesn’t make what he’s saying more true or less true.
“Have no respect whatsoever for authority; forget who said it and instead look what he starts with, where he ends up, and ask yourself, is it reasonable?”
Richard Feynman
What’s wrong with that, may I ask?
****
You’re not looking at the big picture. JIm Clark says it very well above. We need people with heft and a positive public profile giving voice to the skeptical side of the argument. Of course no one expects you…or anyone…to simply take one individual’s word on a wickedly complex issue. What we’re looking for is media coverage, and the increased credibility that hopefully comes with that.
Our MSM should be shut down. What a bunch of liars.
Village Idiot says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:12 am
‘Walt’ Cunningham from the link: “I am not a climate scientist; I have not done anything that you would consider climate science…”
Well, that convinces me 🙂
======
but it didn’t convince a normal intelligent person….and that’s the point
albertalad says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:46 am
In the Obama era truth is irrelevant. Facts are irrelevant.
…and the money is relevant. Spend the future into oblivian…which is irrelevant.
(A) Michael Griffin, the former head of NASA before its official mission became to literally help make non-Space faring Muslim counties feel proud about their early science achievements a thousand years ago, all so criticized climate alarm.
From 2007: “The head of NASA said he was not sure global warming was a problem and added that it would be “arrogant” to assume the world’s climate should not change in the future. Scientists called the remarks ignorant.”
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18964176/ns/us_news-environment/t/nasa-head-unsure-global-warming-problem/#.U7mbrv29LYU
(B) A portrait of astronaut skeptics I made for posting on news sites:
http://a2.img.mobypicture.com/8e1234d649766adfef528feb438395b9_large.jpg
(C) 49 NASA workers condemn climate alarm:
“The following letter asking the agency to move away from climate models and to limit its stance to what can be empirically proven, was sent by 49 former NASA scientists and astronauts.
http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientists-dispute-climate-change-2012-4#ixzz36iTjWZ3l
Col. Cunningham, as has been pointed out earlier, said check the data out yourself. This is not an argument from authority, but an invitation to disengage from popular narrative and find out for ourselves what is happening. How often do you hear the MSM make an invitation like this, specifically concerning AGW, without some type of pre-qualification, or confirmation bias? I myself was pretty busy with a career to concern myself this issue until about 12 years ago when for professional reasons I had to review 14C calibration methods. Suffice it to say that since then I have been following the data, not the clowns.
rogerknights says:
July 6, 2014 at 10:23 am
The education, training & experience of skeptical astronauts, NASA mission controllers, rocket scientists & aviation engineers like Burt Rutan make them far more qualified to evaluate “climate science” than Prince Albert.
Lou regarding your off-topic link to the EPA raising allowable radiation limits….
What’s your point?
I used to work in a nuclear facility. I took a radiation meter to Banff, Alberta, and recorded higher radiation levels in the center of town than were legally allowed in my workplace. Wtf???
The left are unreasonably afraid of radiation, erroneously believing that there is NO acceptable level of radioactivity. That flawed and dangerous attitude needs to change or more countries will be setting themselves up for nuclear-free disasters.
Walter Cunningham and his ignorant argument that “the atmosphere currently contains 400 parts per million of CO2, that’s only a tenth of the level his spacecraft had to reach before causing concern.”
I mean really, he’s showing his total lack of understanding of the role of CO2 in the atmosphere.
And his claim that CO2 was much higher 500-600 million years ago. Back then high levels of CO2 brought the Earth out of a snowball and then there were no glaciers and the oceans rose rapidly and there was mass extinction events and oxygen levels fell dramatically in the oceans, leading to hypoxia. Alarming stuff hey!