by John Brown's Ghost
Much has been made in the blogosphere about the hacking of data from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia. You may have seen my article from the other day on the subject. If you failed to come here to Illinois Review EVERY SINGLE DAY, like you are supposed to, and missed it, you can read it by clicking here. (Your undying loyalty is all we ask - pretty simple).
Most of the article the other day focused on some of the e-mails that went back and forth between various "scientists" (termed VERY loosely. Kind of like calling Rod Blagojevich a "public servant"). However, just like a speed boat racing through the frozen North Atlantic on jet fuel would learn, that was only the tip of the iceberg.
In addition to e-mails, some of the data that has come to light has been the actual data files that have been used to project those drowning coastlines that Al Gore got all misty-eyed about. Of particular interest is a "read me" file called "HARRY_READ_ME.txt", which presumably was written by Ian "Harry" Harris, a staff member of CRU. A "readme" file is a small text file that programmers use to include notes about how programming or data manipulation has been conducted. Just think of it as a daily diary - computer style.
The interesting thing about this readme file is the vastness of it and the incriminating information contained in it. Remember, these programs are used to extrapolate future temperatures and the impact of "global warming". Remember Al Gore talking about the computer models? Yep - same computer models.
What does the HARRY_READ_ME.txt file show? Well, a pretty lively compilation of the file can be found hereat The Devil's Kitchen. From the running dialog on the readme file, we see a programmer that is befuddled about the data sets that he is using. Errors galore. Data that is marked both monthly and annual, but only contains annual data, data sets that have been lost, results that can't replicate what has previously been developed, etc., etc., etc. To say this is a complete mess would be like saying that Michael Jordan has played one or two basketball games.
In an even more damning data series, the models were set to run only up to certain years BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE DATA STOPPED MATCHING THE TALKING POINTS!!! Click here for a summary. Look for oh so catchy and honest statements like "Hide the decline", and "oh, I can make it up", and my favorite "these can be artificially adjusted". Nothing makes you feel more confident in scientific research when the researchers are smart enough that they can just pull numbers straight out of the air.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has based their conclusions off the data that has come primarily from CRU and other institutions. The United Nations is proposing drastic treaties to curb carbon dioxide emissions. The United States Congress has been trying to pass a Cap and Trade bill. ALL of these efforts are based on the putrefied pile of steaming garbage that is coming out of the computer models at the CRU.
For years, other scientists have been trying to get their hands on the data that has been used at the CRU. The typical scientific method is to come up with a hypothesis based on data and then allow peer review using that data. If others can come to the same conclusion that you have using your data, then the analysis is probably pretty sound. However, the CRU has been doggedly resisting releasing their data as can be seen here. Now we know why the CRU has been resisting the release of their data. If you have based decades of work off of a steaming pile of dung, and now the world praises you, would you want REAL scientists to discover your mistakes?
BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER!!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!
Today, we have allegations of similar "fudging" of the data in New Zealand.
Note to US Politicians: This is just a suggestion. You've seen the protests this summer about the Cap and Trade bill. I know, I know, the greenies throw out money like Chardonnay at a San Francisco book club meeting. It's tempting - I know. You are conflicted. Your constituents are mad and you think you might lose votes if you keep voting for Cap and Trade. HERE IS YOUR OUT!! You can stand up and say something like, "ya know, yadda yaddda, I respect science and I'm disturbed by these revelations. I really want to wait until all of this gets cleared up before I vote on something as important as the environment. It's for the children, ya know." It could be perfect Congressman. You now have an out. Everyone will understand.
Quite frankly, I don't care if politicians stop supporting this global warming baloney because they truly see the light and want to do the right thing or whether they are doing it to get more votes. Just wake up and quit trying to throw away the world's economy based on what can now be clearly seen by all as complete junk science. If they can make Al Gore come in to Congress and testify that he's been making all this stuff up, that would be icing on the cake.