Guest essay by Ric Werme
As we close into the 250 millionth page view at WUWT (likely to happen in a few hours done), I’ve been thinking both back to the early days and and wondering what today would be like if WUWT never existed.
Before the impending catastrophe of global warming was introduced to the world, I recall two things that got my attention. The first was the initial release of the Keeling curve. That pretty much silenced the impending Ice Age crowd, which I had mostly given up on anyway. After Keeling, I started pointing out that nuclear power plants didn’t release CO2. A decade or two later, I heard what was probably a short news note on the Hockey Stick, and figured that CO2 must actually be doing us in. I started souring on that when I realized later it also got rid of the Little Ice Age. How could that be? I had heard too much about the LIA to think it could be wiped away with a wave of a hockey wand.
Various tidbits made me think solar activity was a significant driver, and when I learned about the PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and began to meet people like Joe D’Aleo I decided to bide my time for a bit longer and start getting active when the PDO next flipped negative and SC23 (Solar Cycle #23) reached its end. At another talk by Joe, he said both of those had essentially happened. That was February 2008. SC23 hung on for another year or two before it finally got an updated tombstone, but it was pretty much moribund during that period.
By then I had found Anthony Watt’s Surface Stations project and discovered that the surface record was worse than I could have ever imagined. I found RealClimate, but found WUWT made more sense. I found videos from Bob Carter about the scientific method, something I have deep respect for, and that led me to write my first real climate web page, http://wermenh.com/climate/science.html – Science, Method, Climatology, and Forgetting the Basics. It’s now somewhat dated, but not bad. I found that the science behind the Hockey Stick was worse than I could have imagined.
I settled in at WUWT becoming a daily reader. My main two regrets then were first, wishing I had started reading WUWT when it started late in 2006, and when I learned about John Daly, one of the first serious skeptics, I wished I had been able to see him in action before his death in 2004. The former seems a bit silly now, the latter I’m glad I’m helping preserve http://john-daly.com
The most momentous event in WUWT’s existence was the release of the Climategate Emails in 2009. Now we had proof that much of the manipulation we suspected was going on behind the scenes really was. I stayed up until 3 AM unable to pull myself away from the Harry README file. As a software engineer, I related very well to what that poor guy had to deal with. More science, worse than I could have imagined.
Climategate changed WUWT forever. Whereas before the posters generally had a lot of technical background, a flood of new readers came in (I expected for a short while), some with a technical background, but a lot more just plain folks goaded into looking into the global warming claims they now had reason to question. This new cohort is still here, having found that WUWT is the best source of information within the climate community. Very little escapes WUWT, in part because its reach encourages people to submit stories here than try to start their own blog. (A couple have been successful – especially https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/ and https://chiefio.wordpress.com/)
All in all, WUWT has “won” a battle for readers it never tried to win. Anthony has managed to find an almost perfect level of moderation where things are kept under control, but people given enough slack to prove their character warrants banishment. He and the moderation team do an incredibly good job of handling an impossible task. Anthony credits his years as a TV meteorologist in helping understand audiences, that makes a lot of sense to me.
Anthony could have thrown in the towel at many points along the way, and shutdown or radically changed the blog to give him more time for his professional and personal lives. I know the impact on me and my “obsession,” I can imagine WUWT feels like a heavy burden at times for Anthony. After all, he once said way back in 2007:
I don’t want fame, fame is painful. A complete and thorough accounting of the surface temperature record is all I want.
Forecasting the future is difficult….
I’ve also been wondering what would the climate scene be if WUWT had never been created? Some of the “specialty” blogs would certainly be around and thriving. Other “generalist” blogs likely would have appeared, but unless they were run by someone who understood his audience I doubt they’d be as successful as WUWT.
I’d bet there would be blogs as tightly controlled as RealClimate and Skeptical Science. They would fade from lack of reader support. There would be blogs that are a total free for all to “do things right,” but they would collapse under battles between competing trolls, forcing people with a genuine curiosity out to look for someplace else or just give up.
Ten or twenty years or so from now people will try to analyze the history of the climate debates, I think WUWT will come out both as important and influential. Maybe we can find Anthony some relatively painless fame then.
I think another point that should be added is that Anthony has a sense of humor and let’s humor add some “spice” to his site.
250,007,415 views
I go feed the dog and WUWT crosses a ‘quarter of a billion’ views! Onward Anthony and may you continue at full throttle.
Congratulations!
Impressive stick-to-it-ive-ness!
Heard you cheered when 1600 jobs were lost in Alberta’s oil sands. I think those families might have a couple words for you this Christmas, and me along with them.
How much did you earn last year, McKibben? Where did that money come from? Seems only fair that we ask that of you.
Antny, mods, delete this comment if you see fit.
Wow !! That was a truly scientific argument … NOT !!
So you are ok with policies based on bad science, Marcus?
And you are ok with skeptics being accused of being shills for “big oil”?
When it is alarmists who are making all the cake. RICO ringing in your ears?
True, but at least Marcus was not trying to hide the truth!
How many actual readers do these millions of views represent? And how many of them are in the elite hierarchies that are determinedly pushing the Global Warming/’Climate Change’ litany? Not to be a wet blanket, but looking at all the suits in the UN, the White House, the Universities, the official science associations, the foundations and ‘environmental’ NGOs, the mainstream media, et al., and looking at all of their smug and self-righteous pronouncements about the evils of the ‘d*nialism’ heresy and even speculations about how to ‘prosecute’ the heretics. . . Looking at all these, and looking at the grad students afraid to challenge their elders on ‘climate’, and looking at all the youngsters brainwashed into CAGW orthodoxy by the schools and textbooks. . .
Yes, WUWT is a wonderful bastion of sanity and reason in a world seemingly caught up in a gigantic web of deceit masquerading as Scientific Truth, and Anthony has performed a truly vital service in growing WUWT as a haven. But what’s next? Can WUWT awaken a multitude of kindred spirits who can begin to cut through the web and free people of influence and power from the sticky strands of ideology? How can this happen? My guess is that it’s going to take organization, and money. Whence will they come?
/Mr Lynn
L.E.
I see the point of celebration as I’m sure do you. As you point out, I see the great work of WUWT overwhelmed by the noise of the opposition. Here are some thoughts to ponder.
WUWT needs to have a baby(s).
As Hoffer point’s out, a mass movement fills the void of unhappiness for folks who think they should be happier.
Possible WUWT babies :
1. You tube channel.
2. Establish WUWT as a twitter regular on twitter compilers like Twitchy.
3. Cable show. They buy content all the time.
4. Make top ten lists.
5. Bombard (troll) other websites with WUWT content.
6. Consider localized WUWT babies. Eg. If the latest fad is Boston being hammered by CAGW, create a local WUWT Web that refutes rising seas, drama mama weather patterns, or actually tells people what their energy will cost.
Avoid categorizing people based on political affiliations. It chases curious minds away. WUWT has a rep for being GOP right wing. If it’s to reach the apex of its prime mission, it will have to shed that rep.
According to the polls (pew), the most likely true believers are young, minority, politically liberal, college science (bizarrely) grads. Convincing old retired white scientists and engineers is useful but not the best bang for the buck.
Or, you can keep doing the same successful path WUWT has been on w 250B views and wait for the climate to cool. Nothing I see in the political sphere offers a political solution so please avoid the trap of thinking some grand messiah will wave their powerful hand and make this all better. I take time to awaken from the haze.
“I” sb “It” … last line. Other typos present but it’s perhaps better that I sound like an 8th grader and I give up fighting to make it just right on WUWT. You folks get what I mean.
Knute: I like your idea of WUWT ‘babies’ a lot. Perhaps we could add to your list a suggestion I proposed a few days ago, which met with some favorable comments:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/10/26/climate-rationalization-beliefs-and-denialism/#comment-2056577
et seq.
Let’s call it no. 7:
7. “A Foundation that will help to fund the necessary revolution against the Eco-fascist establishment that is pushing climate alarmism at the highest levels. Funding people and projects like EM Smith’s [temperature data collection and analysis that would counter some of the chicanery that has occurred] would be an important part of the Foundation’s activities, as would creating a financial safety net for scientists and others who are subject to reprisals from the establishment if they speak out against the Alarmist Liturgy.” [emphasis added]
This Foundation could conceivably aggregate some or all of your ‘babies’ under its wing, given adequate funding and organization. Perhaps we might think of something similar to David Horowitz’s Freedom Center—no, I would not ask him, as he’s doubtless too swamped with anti-Semitism and foreign-policy issues to take on more, but Freedom Center’s ad campaigns and countervailing campus events could serve as a model for a Climate (or Environment) Center.
/Mr Lynn
Knute,
“WUWT needs to have a baby(s).”
… … So I’m thinkin’ (O provocateur ; ) and I think a “layman’s” version of this site, might be rather doable, and fairly quickly, I would think . . A parallel site essentially, that overlaps a great deal but is geared more toward folks who are not science.engineering wonks, but want to understand what’s going on . . and to ask simple questions, get explanations of various terms/relevant concepts, advice on what they ought to become more familiar with right away, etc . .
Watts light, if you will ; )
Just a thought ; )
Thank you Anthony for your hard work.
Congratulations Anthony and contributors. Keep up your eye-opening work.
Thank you Anthony.
I would also like to remember REP moderator extrordinair.
RIP REP
Indeed, thank you – both REP and Charles have been great moderators.
I’m not sure of the names of any others, but they all have a hard task handled with tact and grace
I had pretty much bought in to the AGW thing. I was too busy to really read widely on it. I figured it must be important if the Gov’t was spending so much on it.
Then, I heard these words: “The science is settled.”
As an amateur follower of science all my life, I recognized pure BS. No serious scientist would believe that about anything. Every discovery leads to many more questions. Some of those questions usually double back and compromise the discovery that spawned the questions.
It almost made me ill when I realized that this scandal is so widespread. I WANTED TO BELIEVE the people spreading the alarm, because I have always had faith in our science establishment. How naive I was.
My good friend says follow the money. WUWT (and several other blogs) has made a believer out of me.
“Then, I heard these words: “The science is settled.” ”
Same here, I was just barely even aware of AGW up till that moment, and when there was no sign of outrage over such a declaration (in the mass media), I immediately became a climate crisis skeptic. It’s absurd to me, and an indictment of every scientist who held their peace or concurred.
I used this site for years as a resource, fighting in the “civilian” trenches, so to speak, and I believe it’s impact has been far greater than even the impressive site view numbers suggest. The technical aspects are great, but the clear, logical/rational, and bigotry free presentations are the critical ingredient I believe, that make it a true heavyweight in the battle for hearts and minds.
I thank Mr. Watts, and the whole gang here, for their faith in the power of truth.
My thanks to Anthony and all his volunteers for providing and keeping this this site running over the years. I have had a lifetime interest in the unpredictable nature of weather, its beauty and destructive power, and how weather shaped the thinking and backbone of our pioneer folk in Australia. They lived according to the weather, planted crops, suffered disasters, overcame those disasters and became stronger and more resolute in dealing with the eternal cycles of drought, flood, and fire that are normal for this huge continent roughly similar in size to Continental America.
I felt I had a good understanding of the weather, and of the meteorological progress made by our pioneering Bureau of Meteorology. A Bureau that worked so hard to get some order and predictability needed by our farmers and our industry and the struggles and sacrifices, made by those that spent their lives setting up the temperature reporting network, the charting of the details and the invaluable reference in the historical records. Anyone reading the BOM 100 years celebratory book “The Weather Watchers” can sense this dedication and value of that pioneering work, they did the best they could to provide an enduring record of our past for the betterment of the future, more on that later!
So in our vernacular comments, I was a “happy little vegemite” (our national breakfast spread for many years, that sustained and nurtured our children) quite secure, in that, unlike many other places in the world we had clean air and water and thanks to our scientific community were keeping it that way with particulate filters on our smokestacks and stringent environmental legislation and our children raised to respect the environment. We worked with nature, adapted to it and had a strong connection with the earth that provided for us.
While idly spending time on the internet a good friend who had the fortunate educational background provided by his parents to be educated in science and obtain a degree. reported that he had just viewed Al Gores an Inconvenient truth, and that in his opinion Al Gore was God as he was saving the planet from the disaster of Global Warming ?.
I hadn’t really heard that term, but was familiar with past failed predictions that the earth was warming or cooling and other environmental concerns, and that sparked my interest to look firstly into our local weather records.
We had been through a severe drought, then had the almost obligatory opposite of flooding and even a mild “winter” in which trees had bloomed as if it was spring, and in the cities, cloud cover made frosts less severe, so I went searching for more on this Global Warming. I stumbled across WUWT and Real Climate and the difference of the approach to exchanging information and ideas as well as commenting on climate issues.
I found the arrogant nature of Real Climate and their censorship of alternative ideas or theories, in fact, anything that questioned their inner circle “scientific authority thinking” stifled curiosity and worst of all the vicious putdowns and vilification of well credentialed Climate Scientists who dared question their authority turned me away from that site.
In contrast found this site to be an excellent springboard via the links to other internet discussions on the various subjects and to Professor Judith Curry’s excellent climate site where I discovered the extreme effort of trolls diverting and disrupting the scientific discussions into almost trivia.
I tried to enlighten friends with some of the excellent articles and discussions I came across and that was when I discovered the almost religious indoctrination of belief structures, and the reliance on authority where science was lacking, even my scientific friend refused to look or discuss ! People were losing their jobs for questioning that authority, though I now suspect that he knows that his early perceptions were wrong but he can’t now take the long walk away from those entrenched beliefs, especially in his government employment where it pays to toe the line and not seek out alternative ideas.
Quite sad really, but so entrenched now in Education and science in this country that it was not surprising when Climategate revealed the closed shop of political science manipulation of grants and awards, and later we found that our BOM had “revised” the old hotter historical temperature records (down of course) to show modern warmer temperatures by means of algorithms to homogenize automatically and produce the highest temperature “evah” for media distribution. It got so bad that one mild summer that we all knew was very mild was mindlessly promoted as “unusually hot” in the media reports. Even the previously respected C.S.I.R.O. got on the warmest bandwagon predicting scary no rain periods that turned into wetter than average.
One wonders how Science and the scientific method could be so ruthlessly set aside to push a meme onto the public and how bad things have become in the polarisation of thought, including the reluctance of any official debate in government and science circles.
We need that public debate, we need science and education to stand up for the integrity of science and understand and condemn those who have tampered with the historical records. It is well past time for this to occur.
I thank you all and particularly the scientists who have politely contributed at this site for those who want to learn more “in a search for the truth in the interests of justice” for all our past scientists and researchers who respected and embraced the scientific method.
I am happy you are approaching the 250 million views, may this progress continue and deliver a billion views
As a fellow Aussie (Geologist by training with a long-held interest in this ‘global warming’ caper) I second your viewpoint almost exactly. I am amazed and very disappointed at the expressed views of several colleagues with a technical background for whom I used to have respect. In talking around other issues I have since found that they are died-in-the-wool socialists so the cowardly ‘ends justifies the means’ position simply fits their world view anyway. But how dare they try to justify it with what can’t even be called science!?
On the other hand I have great respect for the vast majority of other colleagues who (under their breath) say that they too, know it is a farce. I just wish they would speak more loudly to make it obvious to the minority of vociferous true believers that they are in fact, the minority.
“All it takes for evil to prosper….”
To end I must join with everyone else here in congratulating Anthony and the supporters for creating and maintaining such a website with so many discussions and links to relevant articles. I feel the voice in the wilderness is getting louder as the implications of unjustified actions grow more evident. Please keep it up!
Ask Galileo.
And yet if it weren’t for him (or someone like him), would we have the Hubble, and may things that preceded it?
Anthony, mode, contributors, commenters, lurkers…
Thank you all, for making this the best place on the internet for knowledge, information, insight and levity.
It’s perfect.
It’s a shame not all can see it for the jewel that it is.
It’s great to go to a wonderful place like WUWT and, just by doing so, helping make a difference in a world that sorely needs the right kind of “change.”
Thank you, Anthony!
This site taught me everything I know about “Climate Change” and provided a wealth of material for refuting the crazy arguments put up by their sometimes close to insane supporters. I love the slants on the subject provided by the numerous authors and commenters, especially those with a background in the climate area and that of science. Also especially like that similar and sometimes slightly off topic subjects are allowed which makes the site not only entertaining but very educational. Obviously my favorite everyday site.
I’ve been reading WUWT since 2007 although I’ve not commented much in latter years. Anthony has done a fantastic job here, keeping on subject, fending off the most vicious vitriol with good humour and a sense of fair play that makes a Brit like me feel at home. I was lucky enough to have my ‘Quote of the Day’ graphic chosen by WUWT in a little competition. It’s still in use today. Strange to think that although I’ve been working in broadcast tv and graphics design for over 30 years, more people have seen that one graphic than anything else I’ve worked on. That’s the power of the Internet and shows that Anthony totally understands the medium and has mastered its use.
Still no sign of Peak Watts!
I think I have spent more time here at Watts Up With That? than I have with my wife and kids the last few years.
Can’t thank you enough, Anthony. Congratulations on a job well done. Please keep doing it until it isn’t needed anymore.
Well said Sir. Anthony is a modern day hero. I’ll drop something appropriate into the tip jar later.
Fantastic- well done Anthony and the team. I’d like to congratulate the “saintly” Chris Booker for introducing me to WUWT via the Sunday Telegraph so many years ago.
I have learnt so much from the expert contributors and commentators plus all the related blog links.
One day, maybe, the politicians will catch up, but they never were the brightest!
Thanks, Gareth
Thanks, Ric Werme, for a good article. Thanks, Anthony Watts, for the most interesting science news blog in this pale blue dot.
Congratulations on WUWT’s readership!
maybe N.OT:
WHO is not so busy with the hunger in the world. The new sharia is jihad against pork. Against colon cancer in Patagonia.
Take it or leave it. Hans
I’ve had a link on my personal weather page to WUWT since about 2008 I think.
http://highcliffareaweather.com/
Go into the WUWT page several times a week.
Thanks to everyone here at WUWT. It really is a wonderful site where anyone can express an opinion, but be prepared to defend it. Over the years, I have seen some very honest open debate, not always one way traffic. Even when someone of a sceptical nature makes a claim that’s a bit dubious, they will be shot down or at least, shown the error of their ways, very quickly.
Once again, thanks to all who make this the most read and probably the most important site regarding Climate issues. I think we all learn a little something new from it every day.
Regards, Eamon.
Eamon says:
It really is a wonderful site where anyone can express an opinion, but be prepared to defend it.
That says it all. Thanks.
I think I may have to add an ” hear hear” to every comment…
WUWT is the enlightenment’s amplified echo.
John
Respect to Anthony.
As a layman have been visiting WUWT since the very early days and have always found those that support CAGW (or whatever its being called these days) unconvincing. Mostly because they tend to make definitive statements about science that was clearly not settled and oftentimes unknown. These people have become even more unconvincing as knowledge of climate science increases to the point they now sound quite ridiculous.
The cumulative (crowd sourced) knowledge that exists among the readers of WUWT also astounds me.
Whatever happened to Smokey? I remember him well for his knowledge and also the way he (eagerly) Smoked out the trolls and others who visited WUWT to be disruptive.
There are only two sites on CAGW that I read regularly. WUWT and JoNova. They both deserve the highest praise. Long may they continue.
Robdel,
For views from
England, try: notalotofpeopleknowthat
Germany, try: notrickszone
Agree with everything but “CAGW”.
It’s simply CLIMATE.
As an amateur, non-scientist I applaud Anthony, WUWT, and supporters. I have learnt much and had my questions answered. With Paris now a month away I intend running some ads showing why extreme claims of global warming are dangerous and untrue. I want to pressure my government into backing off any commitment. Is this blog an acceptable place to ask whether there is a single site where the latest graphic material and a layman’s explanations are available to copy? Is this something that could be put together here? A one-stop shop for basic material that counters the AGW nonsense?
I met with Anthony about 10 years ago for lunch in New York City. We had a great conversation about his website and the importance of the information he was trying to disseminate. I do recall him expressing a great deal of angst over the growing popularity of the site and the amount of work that was required to keep it going. Fortunately, he came up with the idea to use volunteer help, and I was happy to be some of the earlier help. Since then his help has grown in numbers and capabilities. I salute him and his current set of moderators and guest writers as being unafraid to engage in the debate and keep free thinking alive.
Well said too Sir.
And one moderator is known to me personally and I used to work with him in for the same bank in New Zealand.. Haven’t seen him around lately now thinking about it. Anyone seen “Andy”, the WUWT moderator/publisher?
Hummm….I am sure I posted similar just 10 minutes ago. I personally know and used to work with one WUWT moderators/publishers in New Zealand, “Andy”. And thinking of that and the valuable work these people do, has anyone seen of Andy recently?