Thursday, September 24, 2009

Deniers On Tour!

Lord Christopher Monckton's Canadian tour touches down at the Economic Club Of Canada later this month. Sponsored by the (CPoC connected and thoroughly discredited) Friends of Science, Monckton will be playing two luncheon dates at the International and Westin Hotels. Monckton will speak on "Apocalypse Cancelled: The Overheated Hype Behind Global Warming" and perform all of his hits, including "I Only Have Eyes For You (And That Guy Just Off To Your Right)".

Get your tickets now, for only...79 bucks a pop? You gotta be kidding me! I can get front row to U2 for that kind of money.

18 comments:

Robert G. Harvie, Q.C. said...

I find the whole global warming discussion about as enlighenting as arguments between Catholics and Muslims as to who represents the "true faith".

We need some environmental Christopher Hitchens's to bring some rational discussion, something a little more useful that people simply labeling others as "denialists" or "warmists"..

My own, admittedly limited, research suggests to me that man's contribution to global warming is PROBABLY (not certainly) real, however, the ability of scientists to predict the degree of that impact is extremely questionable, as is, obviously, result of that impact.

So - then - we ask, do we follow for example, Stephane Dion's proposed greentax policy? Expecting that increasing job losses and further retarding the economy is necessary to overcome the unknown, but, in theory, potentially significant environmental impact of global warming? I'm not giving an answer, just posing the question.

But - it doesn't help the environmental lobby that people like Al Gore have been shown to have embarked upon exagerration and outright falsehoods to support their call to arms.

So - "Deniers on Tour", while perhaps helping to consolidate the faithful, doesn't do much to enlighten or broaden discussion.

Oh - and relative to the issue of CPoC support, the sources of funding for David Suzuki's foundation have likewise been shown to have some pretty deep LPoC roots.. though, no doubt, the travelling road show he embarked upon during the election, clearly attacking the Harper government, wasn't seen as credible enough to warrant formal complaints with Elections Canada.

Anonymous said...

I"d rather pry my kneecaps off with a screwdriver than to listen to Hitchens....


Rob, debate is healthy and encouraged within the scientific method. When it comes to Hitchens, there is not point of debating with pseudo-science. He is far removed from "rational discussion".

The ability to predict does not mean that the underlying science is flawed. The consequences are still real.

bigcitylib said...

Roblaw,

There is no particular reason to take Monckton seriously as promoter of AGW skepticism. His stuff is low level, usually literal nonsense, as the fact that he is been promoted by FOS should indicate. If you really want to check out the parameters of skepticism over this issue, I would keep an eye on W. Connelly's blog Stoat, or perhaps Pielke Jr.

Monckton is hopeless; hence I offer him only ridicule.

Robert G. Harvie, Q.C. said...

CWTF.. that, I suppose, is my point.

There's very little explanation in the media or the blog world regarding what global warming is, where it comes from and how the competing arguements line up.

Beyond that - there is little discussion regarding the honest limits of our ability to predict outcomes.

Finally - there is little discussion regarding what MAY be positive results. If we go back in time, there was a period where the world was a much more hospitable place for both animals and people, and where plants (food) flourished, far beyond anything we know now - during prior periods of massive global warming.

Regarding Hitchens, ultimately, I don't agree with his conclusions, however, what he does do is bring some pretty rational discussion to the problems of blind faith.

That's the reason for the reference.. mind of like Michael Moore - ultimately, I think many of his conclusions are naive or misplaced, but he does raise the level of discussion by saying, loudly, "what about THIS?"

Ti-Guy said...

I can't believe Rob bothered to type out every last bit of hackneyed nonsense associated with this issue. Although, it does show just exactly how limited his exposure to this topic is.

Ti-Guy said...

There's very little explanation in the media or the blog world regarding what global warming is, where it comes from and how the competing arguements line up.

No, there's quite a bit...too much in fact. You just aren't capable of understanding what's there and instead of admitting that, you place the blame somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

roblobs comments are pretty verbose in a bio-effluent sort of way.

Frank said...

Forget Monckton, what about this guy:

Top warmer scientist fesses up, becomes climate truther: The climate is getting cooler, and, um… is likely to continue to get cooler for some time, sez Prof Mojib Latif:

“Prof. Latif is one of the leading climate modellers in the world. He is the recipient of several international climate-study prizes and a lead author for the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He has contributed significantly to the IPCC's last two five-year reports that have stated unequivocally that man-made greenhouse emissions are causing the planet to warm dangerously. Yet last week in Geneva, at the UN's World Climate Conference -- an annual gathering of the so-called "scientific consensus" on man-made climate change -- Prof. Latif conceded the Earth has not warmed for nearly a decade and that we are likely entering "one or even two decades during which temperatures cool." – NP, Sep. 11

“Far from suggesting the planet will get warmer, one of the world's leading climate modellers says the latest data indicates we could be in for a significant period of steady temperatures and possibly even a little global cooling.” – BBC, Sep 16

So what we are seeing now is top warmers starting to climb down in the face of mounting evidence that their pet theory is, well just another theory. Not wanting to be a total outcast the good professor hedges his bet, and probably his funding and ticket to the annual warmer conventions, by saying that he still believes in AGW but that there could be a hiatus of a decade or two before temps resume their upward march. And in a decade or two I expect Elvis will be back.

Gerrard787 said...

To the lib-left, dissenting from AGW fundamentalism is taboo. Curiously, this powerful belief system requires no actual commitment to individual change.

Ti-Guy said...

Paul S., I thought you had died...finally.

Mark this date, people: Paul S. writes the same thing for the 500th time.

Anonymous said...

Maybe I could pay $210 for a private dinner with this guy:
http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1804&EID=5097

Anonymous said...

Cute Frank D, spewing shit out of context...

Forecasts of climate change are about to go seriously out of kilter. One of the world's top climate modellers said Thursday we could be about to enter one or even two decades during which temperatures cool.

"People will say this is global warming disappearing," he told more than 1500 of the world's top climate scientists gathering in Geneva at the UN's World Climate Conference.

"I am not one of the sceptics," insisted Mojib Latif of the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences at Kiel University, Germany. "However, we have to ask the nasty questions ourselves or other people will do it."



Conservatives, why must they lie all the time?

Ti-Guy said...

Christ, it's 60,00$ just for the regular presentation and reception with his Ezraness.

Who the hell goes to these things?

Anonymous said...

Who the hell goes to these things?
dr roy

You have to wonder how many people will be at a private supper? And who would want to see Ezra eat?

Ti-Guy said...

I'm thinking far more conspiratorially than that, although I've never really understood these types of elites and their penchant for secret clubs.

Rob would know. Hey, Rob...what goes on at those secret conservative dinners? Sex? Drugs? Or just a lot of good gossip that gives one the edge in future transactions?

Gerrard787 said...

Ti , the only thing that is going to die is the zombie warmers and their apocalyptic credo.

Seriously though, I don't have a problem with you warmers as long as you keep your fundamentalist beliefs to yourself.

Ti-Guy said...

Ti , the only thing that is going to die is the zombie warmers and their apocalyptic credo.

You forgot the gerbil in your colon.

Seriously though, I don't have a problem with you warmers as long as you keep your fundamentalist beliefs to yourself.

Hahahahahaha...this from Paul S, the number one most persistent climate change blog troll I know of. He seeks out and pesters anyone who writes about climate change.

I wonder if he peeks into people's bedroom's and then calls the police to report lewd and lascivious conduct?

Gerrard787 said...

Certainly no one peering into your bedroom window will ever report lewd behaviour to the police Ti.