As some people may or may not know, I am a full member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in good standing. The 2015 AGU Fall Meeting is coming up in December. With nearly 24,000 attendees, AGU Fall Meeting is the largest Earth and space science meeting in the world. I hope to attend so that I can cover what is being presented in the world of climate science, while keeping tabs on the antics of people like Michael Mann, John Cook, Peter Gleick, and some of the other players. For the last two years when I attended, I produced several reports and videos in 2013 and again in 2014, plus many, many, live Twitter entries that kept tabs on the politics and the science. This year I hope to do the same. But this year, I’m going to be more than that – I’m going to be the only climate skeptic invited to give a scientific presentation.
There’s only one problem. It is VERY expensive to attend, and more so in previous years due to my dual role as news media as well as presenting AGU member. The reason is that I’m told that while in previous years I could register for free as a member of the news media, this year due to the fact that I’m presenting, I’m also required to register like any other attending member.
The cost of registration is $455, and the deadline is November 12th at 1159PM EDT to get that rate.
Add a hotel for 5-6 days at the typical $150-250 per night rate in SFO, plus incidentals, parking, etc. and the cost to attend easily tops $3000.
While many attendees get the taxpayers (via their Universities) or their NGO’s via donors to pay for such things, WUWT has no such resources, and despite the claims common from detractors, like the last two years, we are still waiting for that ‘big oil check’ to arrive. I’ll drive down to save money rather than take a plane.
So, like I did for the last two years, I thought I’d ask the readership if they can help out so that there will be somebody at AGU to report on climate science that can do so from the skeptic side. It is very important that at least one climate skeptic reporter attend. Otherwise, the media coverage will be completely one-sided. AGU approved my media pass, so now I’m set to attend for that at least, but in order to present, I need to pay the member registration fee and hotel in advance.
But, more importantly, here is what I’m presenting at AGU on Thursday, December 17th, at 1:40PM:
It will be a challenge for me, not just for the content, but because I’m going to have to deal with one-on-one questions in the noisy hall,(and maybe some personal derision, hopefully not) for daring to not only attend, but to make a presentation that questions the surface temperature record.
I need your help. Thanks for your consideration, and most of all thanks for reading WUWT.
Donations toward this effort will be gratefully accepted: here
UPDATE: I’m overwhelmed by the courage and generosity of WUWT readers, the goal has been met and exceeded, such that I’ll be able to not only attend the conference, but do so comfortably. Thanks to one and all for your help! – Anthony Watts
Done…please keep up the good work.
Ian
$100 on its way from sunny Sydney. Would it be possible to provide a bank account and Swift details please? Then we could use CurrencyFair which saves you fees and gives a better rate. We are all proud of your work. Thankyou so much.
$30 greenbacks from Chile. Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!
$100 sent.
Like many others I suspect, my donation is to Anthony Watts for any purpose he wishes. For me, the AGU conference is just a reminder that I need to send some support Anthony’s way.
I understand the calls for disclosure and designation of excess funds. To those donors I say thank you for supporting WUWT and all it does. But please remember that money is fungible. You either support Anthony or you don’t. I do.
Which reminds me, I need to send Jo Nova some money….
“I understand the calls for disclosure and designation of excess funds. To those donors I say thank you for supporting WUWT and all it does. But please remember that money is fungible. You either support Anthony or you don’t. I do.”
Ditto! I go on record now that any donation I’ve made (or make in the future) to Anthony Watts is his – to be used however he sees fit. Because honesty & integrity are characteristics he has in abundance, y’know! 🙂
^^This!^^
Another $20 from Oz – keep up the great work!
Cheers
Greg E
I’m in, and thanks for all you’ve done Anthony.
I am not working, but if I secure a contract before, I will donate. But as posted by another and from your post…”It will be a challenge for me, not just for the content, but because I’m going to have to deal with one-on-one questions in the noisy hall…” I know how difficult that is. I suffer too…and it is something people cannot SEE.
My sincerest and most heartfelt thanks to everyone, the goal has been met and exceeded, and I will be able to attend the conference and do so comfortably. As some commenters noted above, I “won’t be alone”, and I’ll do my best knowing that so many stand behind me.
Just go there and be the man, as far as I’ve seen here, you are are. Honest. Ethical.
Some will despise you, not because of you but because of what you say.
That won’t be fun.
But some others might have an open ear. Speak to them.
PS Some of us pray. (Some of us think it’s a waste of time.) Remind us when the time comes when you are going to speak….so some of us who pray and also care can “waste our time” on your behalf.8-)
Anthony, so pleased for you I have read through all 315 comments and the support you have got is tremendous.. Once again good luck, safe journey and thank you on behalf of the realists of the world.
AGU, the folks who chipped in for the Mann defense fund? Sweet.
Well I hope I don’t offend any of the folks here who are hung up on climate, anthropogenic or otherwise, but there is one other small thing and it might help to mention it. It might even help get everyone’s mind off the climate thing for a little while so they can start fresh.
After 58 years (Sputnik) of space exploration, Planet Earth still lacks a credible asteroid defense capability. We really have to get on the ball here. The characteristic and effect of Earth impacts throughout history encompass the entire span of the AGU disciplines, some even relying on them as tools of study. What should be obvious (to channel Asimov and Sagan and Spock a little here) is that the threat of a S.L.A.T.E.W.I.P.E.R. (Sudden, Large Accretion To Earth Which Illaudable Parents Enormously Regret) is so pervasive throughout the Universe, it is most logical that once one recognizes and understands this threat, it must be a ‘rite of passage’ of any intelligent civilization would be to take active steps to counter that threat.
Instead of taking steps to counter the threat we have doubled down on our vulnerability to it. We’ve built a fragile modern infrastructure that could not survive a single global Winter aerosol event, most of us live near oceans, we’ve forgotten that nuclear bombs can be used for things other than war, and have permitted ourselves to become complacent about space.
Once you have been informed of the existence of an existential threat you cannot unlearn it. And this is a really good example of a real one.
OT, but enormously important reminder. It wouldn’t hurt at all for WUWT to devote more time to the real threat to Earth. It would also help to point out the difference between real threats and faux ones.
The Boss says he’s got enough for the trip to AGU, but that reminds me that it’s past time to hit the Donate button, which I am happy to do.
/Mr Lynn
Thanks, Anthony. I wish you a good trip and a successful presentation.
I´m glad you are able to attend the conference, and do so comfortably.
Anyhow – Since I haven´t donated for a while it was about time to donate again.
Thank´s for what you do. When United Nations, many scientific societies and many governments fails to to their job – mass media jumps onto the bandwagon and fails in being watchdogs. I´am glad you took their place. You have created something totally new, important and much better than what we had before.
This $25 might buy you two beers in Paris. Have fun and give ’em hell Anthony!
OOps! I mean San Francisco.
I see that Dumboldguy is worried that Anthony is supposedly receiving fossil fuel money and that this somehow taints him.
Worse than that, Anthony is paying to register, so the AGU will also be tainted.
Made my donation too, Anthony, from Nottingham in the UK. I hope it goes well.
I can assure my money does not, sadly, have time to fossilise before it is used.
Was privileged to shake your hand in Brisbane when you were on your Australian tour. Even though you you have reached your goal, a little extra for in appreciation for all the work you do in shining light into the dark corners of the CAGW ideology.
Boy, you miss a day you miss a lot. I’ve not had time to keep up with WUWT these past few days so when I get to this post and scroll down to find the “donate” button I find the need has already been met.
Thanks to everyone who stepped up ahead of me.
Once again Anthony, I applaud your energy and courage.
Anthony:
Suggestion for you: set out some months in advance the conferences you think it important to attend and put them all in a post together with the budget for each. Once a month, do a reminder post, referring back to the original with an update on the current funding received and the appropriate donate link. When you’re fully funded, do a final update post and close off the donations.
If you can’t do a whole year in advance, do it a quarter at a time. If you get this up at least 30 days before the first conference, when you would need to buy airline tickets anyway, There should be no problem keeping ahead. And people like me who might miss a few days catching up with WUWT would not be left feeling sheepish for not contributing.
Anthony,
There is NOTHING in science more important than the integrity of data, to which you have contributed more than anyone else.
You have the upper hand on anyone at the meeting.
Be self confident and show them!
You deserve no less than what we collectively have given. Thanx for persisting with WUWT, a service & forum for sifting agendas from facts.
For the critics here, read this:
UPDATE: I’m overwhelmed by the courage and generosity of WUWT readers, the goal has been met and exceeded, such that I’ll be able to not only attend the conference, but do so comfortably. Thanks to one and all for your help! – Anthony Watts
How many climate alarmist scientists would say, ‘That’s enough money. Thanks.’ ?
(Not that new donations will be turned down! But there’s a big difference between skeptics, who get essentially no government grants, and the Michael Mann types who feast on them.)
[Note: “Kent Pitman” is a sockpuppet name used by a banned commenter. ~mod.]
You have it exactly backward: grant money is being shoveled at anyone who promotes the “dangerous man-made global warming” narrative. Michael Mann alone has collected many $millions for his bogus propaganda.
But you can be certain that if a scientist tells the truth: that there is nothing either unusual or unprecedented happening, he won’t get a dime from the feds.
Some folks are incredibly naive. But keep reading here, you might learn something.
Kent, I think what you meant by “not begging for money” is that there’s always “green” available to those who support the Cause.
If not, read DB’s reply.
[Note: “Kent Pitman” is a sockpuppet name used by an impersonator/ID thief. ~mod.]
Kent,
Glad to see you’re paying attention to my comments. ☺
https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=SAL
Have a look at the salaries of United Nations professionals. United Nations employee´s sure don´t have to beg for money.
UNI OF QUEENSLAND WEBSITE.
Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg. (Great Barrier Reef Fan)
Grants administered at UQ 1999 TO 2015
TOTAL 45
Money Provided By; UQ, unesco,WWF International, Queensland Government, Underwater Earth, World Bank Group, Australian Research Council, Monash Uni, Reef and Rainforest Research, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Yep, HP) which is the 8th largest foundation in the USA and … The foundation’s board committed $350 million to grants for climate-change… for the years 2015 to 2022, with about $50 million going out each year over this period…
… This follows the $500 million in climate-related grants that the foundation awarded from 2007 to 2014…( from the Foundation website)
Need we say anymore about this funding issue and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to take 5 minutes of research and find in, just one foundation, more donations than the Sceptics probably get globally.
Finally I list one of The Professors non reef grants.
Gatton Piggery Waste Energy Project (2012) Funded by The Queensland Pig Industry Fund!
Do you think that this comes as any surprise and that the good professor actually did, as the Climate Change Industry does … Go The Whole Hog… !!!
Go Away but you can return if you provide actual verified data of similar amounts as above donated
to Mr Watts or another well known Science based Sceptic. A reminder. 500 million in one period and 350 million the next!
On that score it will be a case of… Swine. Achievement. Aeronautical Remarkability.
Go Now or else i shall skitch Janice on to you.
All of them DO, to a man, Kent. Did you just get here? You have a lot of catching up to do.
Anthony, even though you already have your cost covered, I have thrown in some 20$ for a cappuccino and some snacks. Je suis Anthony!
“I’m overwhelmed by the courage and generosity of WUWT readers, the goal has been met and exceeded, such that I’ll be able to not only attend the conference, but do so comfortably. Thanks to one and all for your help! – Anthony Watts”
That’s not good enough, Anthony. Take in enough cash to live large while you’re there–you’re going to be accused of being funded by Big Energy anyway! (And, frankly, you’ve earned it. We owe you a lot more than many of us can give.)
Yes, I second that! I don’t know what the total is but I know for sure it isn’t anything like enough to compensate you for your efforts on our behalf and behalf of civilization as a whole (particularly Western civilization).
No matter how much we donate – Anthony will be far behind the United Nations employees:
https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=SAL
But Anthony is far more valuable. Keep donating – to Anthony.
Thanks, AW, for letting us participate in your adventure!
Sheesh Anthony,
When you could use a little coin, just come out and say it 🙂
I almost missed the fund-raiser.
Funds on the way.