As WUWT readers may recall, I am a full member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The 2019 AGU fall meeting in San Francisco is coming up. I hope to attend so that I can cover the world of climate science, while keeping tabs on the alarmist antics of people like Michael Mann, Peter Gleick, Kevin Trenberth, Katharine Hayhoe, and John Cook.
The problem? It is HUGELY expensive to attend. Just the registration alone costs $505. That may be waived if my press credentials are approved. Fingers crossed.
Add a hotel for 4 days at the typical $250-300 per night rate in SFO, plus incidentals, and the cost to attend easily tops $2000.
I can drive down to San Francisco to save money rather than take a plane like so many others.
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 tired claims from detractors, we are still waiting for that ‘big oil check’ to arrive.
So, after not attending for two years due to it being in Washington and New Orleans, which added additional travel costs, I thought I’d ask the readership if they can help out so that there will be at least one person at AGU 2019 to report on climate science that can do so from the skeptic side. I will make a number of posts for WUWT-TV about climate science, social topics, quirks, and issues, as I have done in the past.
Basically, I’m asking you to help send me into the lions den of climate alarmism. Here’s a sample of some recent press releases from AGU:
- Climate change expected to accelerate spread of sometimes-fatal fungal infection
- Europe warming faster than expected due to climate change
- Rising summer heat could soon endanger travelers on annual Muslim pilgrimage
Yes, believe it or not, that’s the sort of stuff we’ll see at this conference, and that’s why I have to attend.
Thanks for your consideration of donations, even small ones will help, and most of all thanks for reading WUWT.
Donations gratefully accepted: here
UPDATE: 9/21 7:35AM PDT The goal has been met! Thanks to everyone who helped, I am grateful and humbled by the support – Anthony
A tiny donation mate, sorry it can’t be more.
ditto
Enjoy the meeting Anthony. Glad to help.
Climate change is not a religion that scientists choose to believe or not, it is not faith. All the presentations and posters are based in theory, data or both, and they can be correct or incorrect. Being skeptical is meaningless, as you don’t have the logical foundations to postulate your thesis, despite you probably think you do. Publish your results, share with the world instead of being a priest of science
Remarkable number of believers for something that is not a religion ..
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/264767-poll-70-percent-believe-in-climate-change
Of course you are totally wrong. The climate scare is the latest example of mass stupidity. This is cleverly being exploited by extreme leftist idealogues and will result in great suffering as all of their schemes have as history teaches us.
More stupidity for your enjoyment:
https://unbelievable-facts.com/2017/10/acts-of-mass-stupidity.html
Small donation made to say thanks for WUWT.
Hope you make AGU – you should definitely qualify for press/journalist status – hit counter shows >400,000,000!
Same here, but the Aussie/American Dollar exchange rate sucks bad. Enjoy the trip, and don’t forget to curl up into a ball and cover your head and kidneys if you need to.
Gantlet?
Gantlet would be better…unless what was meant is a glove to defend the hand from wounds. But as I have lately discovered “gauntlet” is a variation of “gantlet.”
Goode catch. I knewe the expression only as “run the gauntlet”, but now see the distinction.
I’ll add this to the list of cringeworthy missuses of language all too often seen in columns and comments.
Why was my donation automatically processed thru Paypal? I tried to avoid giving them a cut but it seems they got it somehow despite my wishes.
A small contribution done towards hydrocarbons for your car or to quench your thirst while having hand to hand debate during the event. Ask as many awkward questions as you can!
The AGU? The home of the 2009 97% consensus. Sorry, I am out of work at the moment. Many businesses in Aus, the whole country it seems, is dithering along with the Govn’t about climate change. Employment rates have dropped significantly.
Will the talks be webstreamed?
There was a EGU meeting in Austria in April – I think the talks can still be accessed.
The last one is probably of interest because as far as I can see the experts aren’t panicking.
https://egu2019.eu/abstracts_and_programme/webstreaming.html
Small contribution on its way…
FD
Try the Grand Hotel in Bolinas:
Here’s from a review:”If you have your expectations clear before you arrive, you will not be disappointed. First this is neither Grand nor is it a Hotel but, like the town it sits in, it embodies the laid back seaside lifestyle in an unpretentious and warm way. The “hotel” is also two rooms on the upper floor across from one another with a shared kitchen and bathroom downstairs so, unless you can handle or like a B&B style of close unknown neighbors, this is best to visit with close friends and take both rooms. That aside, the rooms are very comfortable, the kitchen (with a few quirks) is functional and just feels right. We spent hours around the table just chatting, eating and drinking. For location, its perfect. A couple of minutes walk from the beach, downtown stores and café/restaurant. A great place to spend a relaxing, very affordable weekend. PS. The guy that runs it, also runs the shop in the other half of the house and treats the kitchen like a common thorough fare, and sort of “appears”, so be prepared for that quirk also.”
I stayed in the pub 100 yards down the road because The Grand was full.
Bolinas was recommended to me by a person at a venture capital conference. It was a great lead.
Good luck with the commute from Bolinas into SF Moscone Center in the morning. I can’t say I would recommend it.
I’d second that. You might stay in Oakland. Commute is easy via BART. If you end up in Oakland, Andrew, let me know. I’ll meet you somewhere and buy you a drink. If we still had the big old place, I’d offer to put you up, but the bungalow is a bit wee.
Dropped a few dollars in the pot. Thank you for your extraordinary hard work for all these years.
I just donated.
Just did. It’s been awhile.
$10 won’t hurt. Thanks for your inspiring work. Do your best.
Small donation. Thanks for a good and extremely important work!
Tossed a Grant into the tip jar. You might consider getting the series of shots recommended for travel to third world countries.
Endeavor to Persevere!
Chief George
in The Outlaw Josie Wales
Sent you $100 for SF. Wish I could come.
I do not know you so what I am about to say is guesses. Since you run this site, your are probably combative and will be completely surrounded. I suggest your watch some of Charisma on Command’s videos. Here are a few I found useful:
How To Avoid Embarrassing Yourself In An Argument – Jordan Peterson https://youtu.be/nS9W-wlJHPA
How To Handle Toxic People: https://youtu.be/agEqp7_BCCA
How To Get Respect Without Being A Bully – Jordan Peterson https://youtu.be/hsQLksbfDSo
6 Phrases That Instantly Persuade People” https://youtu.be/QqFnn_spo4c
How to be the coolest guy OR most popular guy in the room: https://youtu.be/QLnrx6mbcSo
5 Common Phrases That Kill Your Charisma: https://youtu.be/hj3j2jPcnKk
5 Steps To Influence Like Barack Obama: https://youtu.be/H3aWbte8DxU
There is a whole list of how to influence under good and bad circumstances
https://www.youtube.com/user/charismaoncommand/search?query=persuade+
Done!
Keep the b…..ds honest!
I dropped a few bucks.
Freedom and whisky!
I could have donated a bit more, but I know how much other readers appreciate the chance to demonstrate our appreciation of WUWT.
Have a good time, and don’t have too much beer. You can’t keep up with those geologists!
Most of those attending are not true geologists. They somehow forgot the climatic history of the earth.
Donation sent!
Where can I send a check?
One: Don’t bring your good shoes…
Two: Make sure you’re current an all your shots (I don’t know if there’s a vaccine for typhus, but if there is, do it)
Good luck and God bless!
NC, you’re obliquely referencing exactly the kind of “gauntlet” that immediately came to my mind when I read that the location is San Francisco.
Anthony, I added to the pot, too. Keep up the good fight. Maybe take some waders or galoshes, rubber gloves, and face mask.
Apropo cartoon….
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-what-a-trip/
Always glad to help..
“I can cover the world of climate science, while keeping tabs on the alarmist antics of people like Michael Mann, Peter Gleick, Kevin Trenberth, Katharine Hayhoe, and John Cook.”
John Cook? Nail that man to the floor. His papers are the first referenced papers at NASA’s climate change evidence page. That’s quite a joke!
Don’t forget the cost of having your shoes cleaned of human fecal matter afterwards.
Moscone’s still ok. Just stay away from the Tenderloin. That’s much harder to do during the JPMorgan healthcare biotech conference. But that’s in January, after the first rains and often cool. In September it hasn’t rained since April, except for two small events last week. Not enough to wash any sheet off the street.
Thanks for representing us in the lair of the dragon. Take care and stay safe.
Good example of “Internet Panhandling”
Can we have full disclosure on the finances of WUWT? You ask for money a lot and from what you write, there should be no reason why we cannot see a full accounting.
After all, backing up claims with evidence is what WUWT is all about!
I’d prefer that Anthony keep busy with the mission. The finances are trivial and not worth collecting. Besides, he gives me 10% of of his income from big oil. Rather generous, I only asked for 5%. 🙂 (Hint: it’s the same number of dollars.)
BTW, if you read form 990s for entertainment, The Nature Conservancy’s report totally amazed me. I got the sense that Audubon et al were trying to become little Nature Conservancies, the 990 made it all clear! Lotsa assets (i.e. lotsa land).
https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/form-990-tax-return-fy18.pdf
Greenpeace is fun too, but you have to get data for the different national groups to get a decent understanding.
Hi Matt
Are you asking for an accounting of the money you have donated?
I do not need to have Anthony of anyone associated with WUWT account for the few dollars I have freely given.
Why would you think anyine would owe YOU and accounting?
Mick
WTF is running things at the AGU? You’d need to be an idiot to decide to have your conference in San Francisco these days. Not only is it unnecessarily expensive, but the attendees get to deal with excrement, needle, and junkie covered sidewalks which puts them at unnecessary risk. Not only are there dozens of cities in CA that would be a better choice, but it would apparently detract from the “grandeur” of the AGU to hold the conference further than 10 miles from a coastline.
Enjoy yourself and watch yourself, as the crime index of SF is about double that of the nation.
Mr. Turner:
Why lie about things that are easy to fact-check?
1. “Unnecessarily” expensive? The expensive element is Real Estate. Thank you, supply and demand. Lots and lots of demand.
2. San Francisco sidewalks are not “covered” with”excrement, needles and junkies.” Yes, ANY amount of excrement is offensive. But the problem is DOG SCHNIT, which is not picked up by dog owners, who are a sorry, conscienceless lot. It is almost as bad as the streets of Paris, which–like SF–remains popular with tourists.
3. According to the FBI, among the 100 largest US cities, these have violent crime rates higher than San Francisco:
Mobile, AL; Anchorage, AK; Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ; LA, CA; Oakland, CA; San Bernardino, CA; Stockton, CA; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Orlando, FL; Atlanta; Chicago; Indianapolis; Wichita; Baton Rouge; New Orleans; Baltimore; Detroit; Minneapolis; Kansas City; St. Louis; Newark; Vegas; Albuquerque; Buffalo; Cincinati; Cleveland; Oklahoma City; Tulsa; Philly; Memphis; Dallas; Houston and Milwaukee.
There are many things to criticize SF about, and I do it often. But the crime rate ain’t one of them.
Dropped some $ in your hat. I have not been to an AGU meeting in decades. Quit my AGU membership (and also AAAS) long time ago. And this year I dropped my IEEE membership, not because of AGW, but because The Institute is spreading propaganda about the EU, an institution I detest.
Have a fun time in SF.
Looking forward to reading your reports.
Done!
I look forward to seeing your reports from the 2019 AGU meeting.
Anthony,
Bon Voyage! Glad I could help a little.
When will you qualify for the “retired” rate?….
Donation on the way via PP. Keep up the good work.
Can I donate without signing up with PayPal? do you accept checks?
Done! Thanks Anthony!
Done. Try to enjoy the meeting despite. As already mentioned, make sure your shots are up to date.
Good luck Anthony. Added a to the pot.
Don’t forget your galoshes!
Anthony,
A small thank you for your excellent website; I have learnt a lot from this site over many years.
We are struggling in the UK to get any lightly skeptical scientific information across to the media. How we proceed I do not know but we must try. I can understand why some of the public are panicking about AGW. The media including the once trusted BBC and many others, continuously spouts false of fake ‘climate news’, day in day out. Extinction Rebellion and climate protectors could easily become the new Nazi party of the 21st century, along with the help of ‘save our planet’ media.
Unfortunately it’s a case of ‘Control the media control the masses’.
Wait a second. Are you telling me that this type of expense isn’t already covered by big oil and/or big coal?
Made a donation.
I assume that gives me an inside track to all your nefariouslyness.
Oh wait, you’re just going as an observer.
My bad, we’ll await reports from the front.
Anthony ==> Good luck! Have a blast….
They make you pay to listen to their drivel?
Is possible for Anthony or anyone else in the sceptic community to attend one of those UN COP jamborees, and tell us what they actually do for 2 weeks? Maybe ask the Guineans if they could have got by with only 405 instead of 406 delegates? There’s so much I’d like to know about these events.
Checkout Friends of Science and The Rebel, one of them has sent people to the events.
Glad to help. Have a good meeting.
Donated as well. You’ll exceed your funding target in no time.
Looking forward to hearing the reports.
I, too, have put a bit into the pot.
Enjoy – take care – and report in due course!
Auto, hugely impressed with WUWT.
my pleasure to assist
Yes, you can donate without signing up to pay pal. Just use the link and pay by credit card not pay pal and don’t ‘save details’ which is another sign up option.
Go Anthony!!
Covered a night, frankly Im amazed you found places at those prices.
I just kicked in $100. I’ve been subscribed for several weeks, looking for ways to deprogram others (especially my grandchildren) who are targets for the CO2-caused climate catastrophe hype. I’m not a professional scientist, but I am an environmentalist who had basic chemistry, biology and geology in college, and thanks to Judith Curry I came to understand the woeful inadequacy of the IPCC climate models. James Corbett (Corbett Report) interviewed Curry, and I recommend his website as a resource on many topics. My California grandchildren will be receiving a copy of Jim Steele’s book, “Landscapes and Cycles,” which I have found to be not only a well-organized argument against climate hysteria, but an engrossing description of how the process of unbiased real-world scientific inquiry and evaluation should work.
May I also suggest the comprehensive, scientifically rigorous textbook which convinced me that CAGW was thoroughly false? “The Resilient Earth.”
I live in Oakland and have an empty bedroom and full bath. BARTing over the bridge isn’t too hard.
Go get em! Tossed a bit in for the cause.
I’m about to attend the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference in Brisbane Australia (2200km distant from where I live). This is a US society, holding a rare conference in a foreign country. But as an Australian, I have to pay the registration in US dollars (comparable prices to AGU) and with the exchange rate in the US favour, that’s half as much again. My total cost (registration, air fare and accommodation) is about A$1600. To save money I’m staying in a youth hostel (at age 76!).
I am retired, living on savings and do about $10k paid work a year, so this is lot of money I am paying by myself. ( The SVP conference has no cheap registration for retirees.)
However I hereby volunteer to provide a report on the conference to WUWT at no cost to anyone other than myself. The only catch is that you will get a balanced report on any comments on climate change.
that would be good;-) is flimflam speaking? hes not too bad on his own area(i think) but should stfu on climate which hes not qualified to open his mouth about unless its PAST geological events, affecting mammalian critters
If over subscribed you should take like minded person/people with you and give it to them.
small donation made have to disclose that it comes from my big oil pension.
Mike
A small donation made, I have to disclose that it comes from my big oil pension, so unfortunately you are now being subsidised albeit third hand by big oil, long may they survive. The tenets of the average oil and gas corporation would be alien to the majority of the climate change activists, but would stand comparison to the highest standards imaginable. Take care in the “Lions Den” and know that we are with you in spirit.
The lats comment escaped before I had finished, I just made a small donation made, I have to disclose that it comes from my big oil pension, so unfortunately you are now being subsidised albeit third hand by big oil, long may they survive. The tenets of the average oil and gas corporation would be alien to the majority of the climate change activists, but would stand comparison to the highest standards imaginable. Take care in the “Lions Den” and know that we are with you in spirit. In other words “go KickA**” with our full support.
Thank you for your work.
Ben Franklin on his way.
I’ve added my mite. Thanks for keeping an eye on things!
Small contribution made. Have some fun as well.
Ditto
AW, here is a simple all inclusive solution offer for your residual AGU funding. CtM can easily verify that this is a genuine offer from me personally.
Anthony, please go to AGUnon our skeptics behalf, spending first whatever is collected by your appeal here. You charge the rest, whatever it is, to me via the following proffered special credit card arrangement. I will pay it all off out of thanks to you, WUWT, and CtM. Financial means to do so are NOT an issue for you, as CtM can verify indirectly.
I hereby guarantee the rest of your AGU costs via a simple process. You go, and via my special business credit card, Charles the Moderator will enable me to inform my business card bank you are an authorized ‘employee’ business card signature of mine until AGU is over per some date. My business card monthly credit limit is real big, so please don’t go wild.
Well done, Rud. Admiration sent your way.
Bravo, Rud
You should go with, Rud.
Nah. I am a nothing compared to AW. Just want to help him as may. A few guest posts, a couple of ebooks, some spending money, whatever.
A small donation Anthony from OZ Down Under.
I have been an avid reader of WUWT for several years and have shared many articles with friends.
I feel the race has been lost. There is increasing censorship of climate & climate science realistists.
If it has been lost, my attitude to that is “bring it on” as fast as possible – 100% renewables in Australia and all of its consequences.
It will take a few decades for the current young generation to realise that they have been had big time.
Hopefully , the one-world government won’t be too strong by then and their children will rebel and march in the streets to bring sanity back.
I realise that we must eventually cease using fossil fuels – but it is not urgent. We should be directing current renewable subsidies to research in new forms of energy generation. Current wind and solar technology will appear neanderthal in a future world if we apply ourselves.
Have you seen the opening scenes from the film Blade Runner:2049? Solar thermal plants as far as you can see. We are to believe LA is powered this way. What’s missing? Apart from the seeming perpetual rain, sufficient levels of sunlight to actually make them work!
A small price to pay to support a slice of sanity.
chipped in $30
go get ’em tiger
I’m in. Raise some dust, Anthony.
I’d enjoy the story if you manage a conversation with M. Mann. Maybe hoist a Steyn with him. 🙂
Glad to participate after all you’ve done
Happy to help. I hope you get a great response. Enjoy your trip, Anthony, and thanks for all you do!
Rud is very generous but I want to participate, too. Please accept my small donation and have a good trip.
I appreciate your work, Anthony, from the bottom of my heart !
Here is another great video on how to handle negativity in your “audience” or debate.
https://youtu.be/PP8bIrKHaq8
Have a few beers on Andy Jackson.
What exactly does “running the gauntlet” mean? The last conference I saw you at you remained silent throughout and didn’t ask a single question or challenge any of the presenters on their data. I’m happy to donate, but I want to see some questions and value for money!
Anthony,
Another drop in the bucket. Given the generosity of the WUWT audience, the bucket will soon be full.
Colonial
Small donation made and thanks Anthony.
Just helping to say a big hello to the Greta worshippers. Poor old Gaia must be showing her age.
I want to donate , pay with my creditcard but I do not want to register fot paypal so I could not donate…
T. Winkel,
Follow the buttons, PayPal gives you the option to use your debit or creditcard.
Donate to
awatts@itworks.com
Purpose: Anthony Watts – surfacestations.org
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Small donation made. I rely on WUWT for my daily jolt of sanity. Thank you for all you do, Anthony, CtM, mods, guest contributors and to the many commentators, too.
Good news. The goal has been met!
Thanks to everyone who helped, I am grateful and humbled by the support.
It is encouraging to know how many friends and supporters I have around the world. Sincerest thanks to you all.
– Anthony
As usual, I’m late to the party. Even though your goal has been met Anthony, you probably still need a little extra for the lobbying expenses, such as you plying the opposition with liquor to muddle their thought processes. Oh, wait… Well, maybe you need an entourage…
Cheers mate, give ’em hell.
You might want a pair of those rubber pig farmer boots for this trip.
Longtime Lurker
Donated what I could
“It is HUGELY expensive to attend.”
Be glad you haven’t attracted the ire of James Cook University yet! 🙂
I’m still annoyed at their treatment of Bob Carter.
I have also donated after the goal has been met, but I am glad that I have done it. I hope it is a small encouragement so that this blog keeps going for a long time to come. Thanks for the wonderful work through many years.