ClimateGate: Climate Research Unit (CRU) Hacked

For those of you not following along, it was reported last week that The Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England was hacked and a zip file containing emails and data files was released to the world.

The story broke on many blog sites and main stream media outlets. Some very revealing emails have been made public, as well as some very suspect segments of code w/questionable comments by the programmer. The released data has been confirmed to be authentic by Prof Phil Jones, the director of the CRU. Various spins have been attempted by the AGW supporters trying to portray this as much ado about nothing.

A very interesting alternate theory as to how this large volume of information (all contained in ONE compressed zip file) was obtained and released has been proposed...Read Theory.

The whole situation was best summarized by Dr Roy Spencer, Ph. D (Climatologist, Author, and former NASA Scientist).


Update:
The shit storm just keeps growing, even reaching Fox News, as Supporters keep trying to spin, and the media try to run and hide...I seriously doubt this will be the end of the debate (as well it should not be) but it does allow me the opportunity to sit back like a Cheshire Cat in wild amusement.

Not Enough Hurricanes - No Problem

This just goes to show how far Mr Gore will go to make everyone believe his bullshit...Truth is there is no link between Global Warming and increased Hurricane activity. When the facts don't support the theory, make up the facts as you see fit...

Taking advice on science from this jackass is like taking a public speaking class from GW Bush! Stuuuupid!


This article is from Anthony Watts' climate science blog...all credit to his blog for true scientific discussion and debate.

From: Watts Up With That (http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/not-finding-any-gore-airbrushes-in-hurricanes-for-his-new-book/)

Not finding any, Gore airbrushes in hurricanes for his new book

19 11 2009

Al Gore’s new book had a problem – no big hurricanes since Katrina to put in the book to look “threatening” to the USA. Any imagined link between hurricanes and global warming has evaporated.

Solution: the artists airbrush.

Ryan Maue, hurricane expert from the University of Florida writes:

Anthony,

Not a lot of hurricanes here

The cover opens and closes half and half — so you only see one hurricane…as in the press release photo or the one on Amazon.

But this is the real picture sequence from the book which I looked at Borders today and took cell-phone pictures, original (before the retouching by some “artist”) Note all of the Arctic ice and the size of the Florida Peninsula…

and the final product:

Now with 4 scary hurricanes - hey where's the ice?

WUWT?

A midget Southern Hemisphere cyclone is off the coast of Florida, another hurricane is sitting on the equator off the coast of Peru — and the Arctic Ice is gone (perhaps it is summer) and the Florida Peninsula is half gone

There are other differences I am sure you can find — but the hurricanes are just nonsense…

Ryan

Here’s the book cover:

Nonsense? No more like scaremongering, especially when it has been shown time and again that there is no hurricane to global warming linkage, and we are at a 30 year low.

Mr. Gore, you are a charlatan.

My Grand-Nephew

After nine months of patient waiting, My niece is finally having her first little baby boy. I will soon be blessed with the title...great uncle. The longing anticipation will soon be replaced with joyful exuberance, and the months of agonizing anxiety will be replaced with long hours of blissful celebration. Perhaps it is fitting that next week is Thanksgiving, because we will all have something to truly be thankful for more so this year than any other year.

Good Luck to Melissa and Matty. We are all praying for a proper conclusion to this chapter in your lifelong story.

UPDATE: On Thursday, 19-Nov-2009 at approximately 6:30am, the new addition to the family was born...Finn Peter Galvin (5lbs 14 oz)

The Mad Genius

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was a cold, crisp November night...the temps in the 40s - a typical fall evening in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Tom Brady strolled up to the line of scrimmage; his usual swagger replaced by apprehension. His usually quick-witted, genius coach had been temporarily replaced by a raving lunatic. The obvious look of surprised confusion was not easily hidden from the millions of watching eyes, the majority sharing in Brady's bewilderment...some relishing the opportunity to see Belichick crash and burn. And, crash and burn he did. But, Brady not accustomed to questioning his coach's decisions, just prepared to execute the play given to him. It was the 4th Quarter; the Patriots were leading by 6; the ball was at their 28-yard line; there was 2:08 left on the game clock; and the Patriots were facing a 4th and 2.

What happened next will live forever in Colts lore as another great example of Peyton Manning's ability to extract victory away from the overwhelming jaws of defeat. It will at the same time go down in the realms of football lore as an example of a dimwittedly bad coaching decision made by an otherwise (and it pains me to say this) great coach.

Tom Brady drops back to pass quickly (hoping to catch the Colts off guard), and tosses a floater to Kevin Faulk at the 30-yard line (the first down marker). But, seemingly happening in ultra-slow-motion, Faulk bobbles the ball before falling to the ground at the 29-yard line. The world held its breath; the stadium held its collective breath; the Colts' fans held their breath; the Patriots fans held their breath...all awaiting the decision from the referees.

The referees ruled that Faulk had indeed caught the ball and maintained possession, but not until he was downed at the 29-yard line, thus giving the ball to the Colts with just under 2 minutes left on the clock. The thousands of replays, from every angle humanly conceivable, that followed all showed that the call was questionable at best. However, the play was deemed unreviewable because the Patriots did not have any remaining challenges left at their disposal, so the call remained as stated...Indianapolis Colts' ball at the Patriots 29-yard line with just 1:57 to go in the game and all 3 timeouts...a perpetual eternity to a Quarterback like Peyton Manning.

The outcome was as surprising as the fate of Jason Voorhees, or anyone of his unsuspecting victims, at the end of each Friday the 13th movie. Peyton Manning slashed through the Patriots' defense as if wielding a razor-sharp machete, and quickly and convincingly diced the Patriots' hopes of victory, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left on the clock. It took 4 plays and 1 minute 44 seconds. Final score: Colts 35 - Patriots 34.

Bill Belichick stands by his decision, and in all fairness, he would've been called a gutsy genius if it had turned out right. But, hindsight being what it is, everyone will question his decision to go for it when conventional wisdom says to punt, but if Belichick has ever been anything, it's unconventional...that's why I call him...The Mad Genius!

G

"We Want Floyd!"

LAS VEGAS - Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao moved one step closer to a showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. by beating Miguel Cotto in a WBO Welterweight title fight today at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Miguel Cotto started out strong, but Pacquiao quickly settled into his rhythm and knocked down Cotto in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Pacquiao's speed was just way too much for Cotto to handle. Mercifully, Referee Kenny Bayless put an end to the one-sided affair 55 seconds into the 12th round, earning Pacquiao his 50th victory in his long illustrious career which began in the Featherweight division and ended with his 7th title in 7 weight classes.

After the referee called the fight, the crowd began to chant "We want Floyd"...referring to Floyd Mayweather Jr. And, during the post-fight interview, Pacman's trainer - Freddie Roach - when asked who Pacman should fight next, said “I want to see him fight Mayweather.” Floyd Mayweather Jr is the only other fighter capable of claiming the "pound-for-pound" title, but in order to be truly considered the world pound-for-pound champion by the boxing world, he will have to fight Pacquiao sooner rather than later.

Two scenarios exist for Pacquiao...either he fights the winner of the "Sugar" Shane Mosley vs Andre Berto fight on January 30th (more about that fight later), the winner then fighting Mayweather, or he fights Mayweather as his next fight. Personally, as entertaining as a fight with Mosley could be, I - like the rest of the world - would prefer to see Pacquiao fight Mayweather straight out. The problem is that if history is any indication Mayweather will do everything in his power to make a fight with Pacman difficult, not because he's afraid of Pacman, but because he'll demand equal or more money. I honestly hope I'm wrong, because a decisive victory over Pacquiao will solidify Mayweather's status as pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world, while at the same time a Pacquiao victory will do the same for him.

This is the fight the fans want; this is the fight Freddie Roach (and, Pacquiao) want; and this is the fight the boxing world wants and needs. Hey Floyd, check your ego at the door, and put your fist where your mouth is, because as the fans said..."We want Floyd!"

But until then, Congratulations Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, the WBO Welterweight and Undisputed Pound-for-Pound Champion of the World!

G

The Anti-Science Fiction Channel

Well...so it happened again...Joss Whedon tried to produce a sci-fi show for fox...and again fox canceled it. You'd think that he would've learned by now, but I guess he figured he had a good original show to compete with all the reality bullshit on TV today.

Unfortunately, most people don't have attention spans long enough to appreciate an original idea. Everyone always says, why can't Hollywood come up with something original? Why can't they stop just regurgitating the same old themes or just producing a never ending parade of so-called "reality" shows?

The truth is studios produce remakes, reboots, reinventions, or whatever the new catch-all phrase is because people watch. It's truth #1 in Marketing 101 - give them what they want. And, when original show after original show continues to demonstrate poor ratings, and reality show after reality show continues to draw audiences, then add the low cost associated with producing a reality show, and you have a studio's biggest wet dream.

At least, Dollhouse fans will get a chance to finish out the entire 13 episode season, and I'm sure Joss will crank it up for the finale. After that fellow sci-fi fans, keep watching Fringe, because no matter how awesome you may think the show is now, there's no telling what fox will do to fuck that one up too. Moving it to Thursdays in direct competition with CSI was a good start. Keep it up fox...

Personal note: I still like 24, Lie to Me, Bones (in addition to Fringe), but their obvious lack of patience with original sci-fi ideas is getting hard to put up with.

G


- Joss Whedon posted the following reaction to the cancelation of Dollhouse:

Hmm. Apparently my news is not news.

I don't have a lot to say. I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again.

I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking. Possibly that relaxation thing I've read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you'll know what my next project is. But for now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear.

Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again. -j.

Introduction to My Random Thoughts

Welcome to my blog.

      I will post random thoughts on occasion for your viewing pleasure. Ranging in subjects, from sports, travel, culture to history, science, and politics, this blog hopefully will be both entertaining and informative, and will inspire you to think.  I often have my opinions on many subjects, but ultimately any rant I may or may not go off on is meant to make you question.  The foundation of any good scientist is to question everything that doesn't make sense.  If someone ever tells you there is no debate, but fails to answer your questions or worse purposely avoids answering them, then immediate skepticism is in order.  Being skeptical is not a crime, and it should never be discounted.  Most great inventions, discoveries, or revelations began with someone being skeptical.  Someone decided to challenge the "scientific consensus", and in the process ended up revolutionizing the common perceptions of the world.  It worked for Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

G

"Don't buy the hype, think for yourself!" - GR Antunes