Yesterday, it was discovered that both John Cook and Michael Mann are headed to the Stephan Lewandowsky’s current place of trough feeding academic residence at the University of Bristol to give talks on Sept. 19th and 23rd. Since the talks are both free and open to the public, a number of people have already registered to attend. Yours truly is one of those people. If you have not already registered, you can do so here at this WUWT story: Calling all UK Skeptics – Free Talk with 97% Bias – plus the ability to ask questions.
Some people wondered why I’d bother to make such a trip, especially since both Cook and Mann aren’t likely to talk about anything of substance, but simply their own brand of science and consensus as they interpret it, plus Mann’s usual book plugs. It has some of the people over at “wackadoodle central” in a tizzy that I’m attending, and they want to know why I’m going. Well, that’s for me to know and them to find out.
In the meantime, I did the planning, I’ve reserved a flight to London, and I’ll make my way up to Bristol from there. The cost of the RT flight, accommodations, food, sundries, and rubber chicken props needed for attending these talks looks to easily top $2700.00.
So, I’m asking for some help to make this trip.
The silver lining here is that while I have met with climate skeptics at many conferences, and even did a speaking tour in Australia in 2010, I’ve never met any of the UK skeptics save Monckton, Delingpole, and briefly some in Brussels as Climategate was breaking, which caused me to spend much of that time locked in my room on the Internet working out what to do about it all and speaking to nobody about it. With the exception of a short layover at Heathrow in 2009, I haven’t been to the UK since I spent time doing some consulting for television weather presentation back in 1989 with the international company Weathernews, when I spent some time in London and also in Aberdeen. So, it is long overdue for me to visit, and this seemed as good a time as any.
This time, there will be time for a skeptics gathering in the UK, and I aim to help that happen while I’m there, as has been suggested on yesterday’s thread. Plus I will come fully equipped to make a presentation or two, should the opportunity present itself.
For me, this is a working trip, and I have a couple of goals to meet while I’m there. I’ll be in touch with some of your privately. Of course I’ll bring my video camera and post items of relevance here at WUWT along the way.
So, if you kind folks can pitch in to help defray travel expenses, because sadly, Exxon, B.P. and the Koch brothers STILL have not stepped up (though I keep hearing they have been sending scads of money my way, but for some reason I never see those checks in the mail), I can make this trip and accomplish a few things, have our own meeting, and see some people that I’m long overdue to meet and discuss business with.
Here’s the PayPal button- 
UPDATE: Goal reached! THANK YOU EVERYONE!
You know what to do. Just a bunch of small donations is all that is needed to add up. For example if I got 100 people to give $30.00, that would do it. I wish I didn’t have to beg, but either all those claims about money I’m getting from big oil are bogus, or my postman is redirecting those checks in the mail elsewhere.
Thanks for your consideration, and as always, thanks for reading WUWT and standing up for climate reality.
Anthony
Amerigo Vespucci’s voyage to the New World, detail of the first map to use the name America, by Martin Waldseemüller, 1507.
The Granger Collection, New York
http://media-3.web.britannica.com/eb-media/97/13697-004-FDC63488.jpg
BTW Anthony, don’t forget to buy a couple of US/UK adaptors before you come – the UK electric sockets are unique.
Owen Patterson, who was sacked as the Environment Minister recently, is to give the annual lecture at the Global Warming Policy Foundation in October.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10975822/Owen-Paterson-to-give-climate-sceptic-groups-keynote-address.html
I would second the suggestion that you meet up with Christopher Booker, who has a weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph. He lives near Bristol, and may be attending the Conference.
As an Australian, I just saved $10.55 per week by dumping the Carbon Tax. As I now celebrate, I donated my first week of savings to your quest.
I know it’s not much, but you should have enough to get a chicken tikka sandwich and a cup of tea!
All the best.
Interesting times in the UK. Last night the BBC did a Horizon program on our recent winter weather. They blamed it on the jet stream, suggested it might be carbon dioxide, then they said the science was far from settled and it might equally be something in the stratosphere. They ended saying we should make ready for climate change by being prepared. I liked it because they came and filmed at our local Highandover, pointing their cameras south to the meandering Cuckmere rather than the impressive barrow and ancient earthworks they were standing on.
It was as a result of reading Christopher Booker’s well regarded column in The Sunday Telegraph that I was first alerted to WUWT. He has mentioned it several times. A brief reference in his column prior to your visit would produce round-the-block queues to hear you… Go for it!
Please print a mailing address somewhere; I mean a postal address.
A link up with Lord Lawson ( No connection) of the GWPF Might also be very worthwhile.
Looks like you made the goal, and Im poor so Ill save a donation for next time…
I meant to do this yesterday when I got home but forgot. I kicked in $30 today — use it to buy a round for any fellow skeptics you encounter.
vukcevic says:
July 18, 2014 at 12:06 am
Nic says:
July 17, 2014 at 9:47 pm
……………
I fear we must leave the Amerigo/Ameryck debate to more informed scholars than us.
” I wonder what the Americans were told at their schools?”
They are told that Columbus discovered America ! He never went there. Bahamas, Hispaniola and some other islands but he never set foot on the Continent until his fourth expedition led him to Central America.
The Bristol merchants were following in the footsteps of the Vikings long before Columbus and had their secret sources of cod and fur (now called Canada ?). Columbus was trying to find a route to the south of the land mass now know as Canada/USA to the East Indies and took with him an Irish navigator who had been to the land to the north.
But – The accuracy of sources (as you allude to); like adjusted temprature records, we still ask “What was the original data ?”.
Big Oil is just such a whimsical payer. I’ve been waiting for a check from Big Oil also and so far none have arrived. I just don’t know what I can do. I’ve been told I have been a shrill for Big Oil so many times I am just frustrated that they refuse to pay the money I am supposed to have gotten for been a sceptic. Life is just not fair.
Anthony,
Gave you a small donation, given the cost of living in the UK it will probably enable you buy a couple of beers.
In the spirit of full disclosure you need to know that this is secondhand Big Oil money, they do send me a cheque every month for services rendered prior to retirement. Hope this doesn’t raise the ire of the zealots.
Anthony, Old’un noted that UK has different electrical plugs. It also runs on three phase 240 volts, which will fry any unsuspecting US 120V items. (Although lots of modern stuff is dual voltage. )
Great site you have got here.. It’s hard to find good quality writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Dyspeptic Curmudgeon says:
July 18, 2014 at 5:10 pm
Anthony, Old’un noted that UK has different electrical plugs. It also runs on three phase 240 volts,..
Not quite right – you won’t get 3-phase out of a standard UK wall socket. Single phase 240 V at 50 Hz. But, as pointed out, most laptop power supplies, phone chargers and the like will accept either US or European voltage/frequency, so you just need some big ugly travel adaptors…
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“How to serve Man”?
(Sorry. Old Twilight Zone reference.)
I’ve put a discussion thread up at
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/discussion/post/2382980
specifically to promote suggestions on how to get this event into the media. The presence of Anthony and Lucia should transform this from a run-of-the-mill climate alarmist propaganda event into a real “Man Bites Dog” (or “Mann bites Dust”?) story. But with the BBC’s official policy of filtering acceptable opinions on climate according to academic credentials, and almost the entire British media being opposed to scepticism, there’s every danger that the story will be ignored. Suggestions on how to ensure that the event has maximum impact welcome.
I fully support what you’re doing Anthony… $30 donation made to assist you. Good luck and best wishes.