Climate Capers and Inconvenient Truths
By now most of you have heard about the stuck ship in Antarctica. Stuck for a week now, with two other ships also prevented from carrying out a rescue, the situation has captured world attention. Four failed attempts at a rescue have already been undertaken, and more tries are expected.
The Russian ship with 22 crew and 52 passengers has been stuck tight in the ice and cannot budge. But the whole affair has been a really good laugh. That is because of what most media outlets are not telling you about all this. The Russian ship has a group of global warming scientists on board who went to document climate change at the South Pole.
As one news report says, “It began as a journey to ‘investigate the impact of changing climate’ and to ‘use the subantarctic islands as thermometers of climatic change’ but more than 70 global warming activists, journalists and crew, led by University of NSW professor of climate change Chris Turney, are now trapped by millions of tonnes of ice after their ship was caught in freezing conditions off the Antarctic coast.
“Attempts by two ice breakers to reach the Russian-registered ship, stranded since Christmas Day, have been abandoned due to bad weather and the volume of ice surrounding the vessel. Yesterday plans were under way for a helicopter rescue as some on board hinted at growing tensions. ‘The mood is getting more frustrated by the day,’ photographer Andrew Peacock said in an email….
“In some quarters, sympathy for the trapped activists is running low. ‘You’d need a heart of stone not to laugh at the spectacle of global warming fanatics trapped in the ice on their way to Antarctica, where they planned to make a big deal about the relative shortage of ice,’ wrote US journalist John Hayward as the ordeal entered its sixth day. ‘It’s even funnier because the highly sympathetic mainstream media so clearly understands how utterly embarrassing this is.’
“Before the $1.5 million expedition, the ABC reported Professor Turney and his team would ‘try to answer questions about how climate change in the frozen continent might be already shifting weather patterns in Australia.’ Subsequent ABC reports make little mention of the expedition’s climate aims. A headline in the Sydney Morning Herald described the trapped vessel as an ‘Antarctic tourist ship’.”
So let’s get this straight: these climate scientists went to Antarctica to prove to the world how bad global warming is getting, and how the polar ice caps are melting, only to get stuck in ever increasing ice fields. OK. And of course all the true believers in the MSM are engaged in a big cover-up here.
As Andrew Bolt reports, “our” ABC did everything it could to play down the truth of this situation: “The ABC’s 7.30 last night filed an astonishing report on the ship load of warmist scientists and journalists trapped by ice as they tried to prove global warming was melting Antarctica.
“What was astonishing was that not once in that report did the ABC mention ‘global warming’ or ‘climate change’ or even ‘climate scientists’. It did everything humanly possible to cover up the most embarrassing PR disaster in years for the global warming movement. How different it was last November, when the ABC in a two-part report eagerly presented Professor Chris Turney’s Antarctic expedition as a serious scientific quest to prove how global warming was damaging Antarctica.”
After posting that earlier interview, he continued, “But last night – with Turney’s ship of warmist scientists and journalists embarrassingly stuck in ice for more than a week – the ABC’s 7.30 filed a report which no longer sold Turney’s team as ‘one of the largest Australian science expeditions to Antarctic’ on a mission to ‘answer questions about … climate change’.
“This time it sold them as merely ‘tourists’ and a few unspecified scientists. This time it did not mention ‘climate change’ once. Indeed, Turney, who the ABC in November identified as a professor from the Climate Change Research Centre of the University of NSW, was this time identified merely as ‘expedition leader’. Not once did 7.30 last night report the real story and the real joke – that a ship carrying warmist scientists and journalists, plus a Greens politician, was trapped in thick ice that those on board had insisted was melting away.”
Hmmm – why are we not surprised? The politically correct ABC which has long shrilled the global warming hype just cannot actually resort to honest reporting on this issue, but must always instead push agendas and play fast and loose with the facts.
But this makes sense, since the warmists and their media stooges really have embraced a new religion here. The religion of climate change requires as much faith – if not more – than most other religions. It is an article of faith to believe the warming hysteria, and anyone who dares to question it is branded a heretic and an apostate.
As Christopher Booker notes, these folks are on a religious crusade, and they have just become another pressure group dedicated to their cause. Consider what he has to say about the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC):
“Some years back, when I was researching a detailed history of the alarm over global warming, few things surprised me more than to discover just how wildly misleading was the picture given to the world of the IPCC as a genuinely scientific body, dispassionately assessing current knowledge of all the factors shaping our climate.
“The IPCC was set up in 1988 by a small group of scientists who were already wholly convinced that rising CO2 levels were the prime factor in causing global temperatures to rise. They were led by Prof Bert Bolin, appointed as the IPCC’s first chairman, and Dr John Houghton, then head of the UK Met Office, who, for 14 years, remained head of its key Working Group 1, responsible for reporting on climate science.
“Since then the IPCC and its five major reports have essentially been shaped by a surprisingly small, close-knit group of scientists, all similarly dedicated to the cause. They have been determined not just to assemble all the evidence they could find to support their theory, however dubious it might be (as in the case of that notorious ‘hockey stick’ graph); but, as we saw from the Climategate emails, to deride or ignore any that contradicted it.
“In years to come this will be looked back on as the most astonishing example in history of how the prestige of ‘science’ can be used to promote a particular belief system, in this case with the aid of those skewed computer models that can be seen ever more clearly not to accord with the observed evidence.
“All this would not be so serious if the IPCC had not been so successfully sold to the world as an objective scientific body rather than as just a political pressure group, because this has taken in no one more damagingly than all those credulous politicians who use the IPCC’s bogus prestige to justify landing us with some of the most disastrously misconceived policies the world has ever seen.”
The joke taking place to our south right now is just a good example of why we should treat the climate alarmists with a very big grain of salt. Indeed, many large grains of salt sound like just what they need to get unstuck.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/global-warming-activists-still-trapped-by-inconvenient-ice/story-fni0cx12-1226792726099
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2531159/Antarctic-crew-build-ice-helipad-help-rescuers.html
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/abc_whitewash_dont_mention_warmists_are_on_board_the_ice_bound_ship/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/10356276/Climate-change-scientists-are-just-another-pressure-group.html
[1240 words]
Unbelievable cover up. I hope taxpayers are not funding any part of this debacle!
Before we talk about the Religion of Global Warming, Gaia theory (who’s inventor James Lovelock recanted) or it’s prophet Al Gore [who invented the Internet [tm]]… Let’s reflect at what climate change videos the state forced me to watch in Primary School.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/01/global-cooling-compilation/
And Here’s Spock from Star Trek, Mr Nimroy talking about our imminent destruction by global cooling. The ICE Age is Upon US. Death is imminent. Alarm Alarm Alarmist! Does that wring any bells? Where have we head this before? It looks like our friends down south have found out he might be onto something!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kGB5MMIAVA
Don’t get me started up Getup, or their bank George Soros (who is known, I bet to Bill for what he is – Ahem – the Militant Homosexual Connection to the global warming lobby) who promote this myth we need to feel guilty for living, because Co2 0.0345% of the Earth’s Atmosphere, the key ingredient in photosynthesis, the production of plants sugars, and god’s greatest creation LIFE. ABC Even had an early childhood Internet game, saying you don’t deserve to live any longer than … in relation to Co2
http://www.news.com.au/technology/abc-website-tells-kids-when-they-should-die/story-e6frfro0-1111116454821#ixzz1C5aBS44w
And 20 years ago they started including #@$$#@#$@#$ in Sex ed and removing the Anglican compulsory bible (except for Muslims) education in NSW State Schools. And we wonder where all this mayhem comes from. It’s part of the slow, incremental Fabian Society Eco-Socialist agenda for Australia, and as we have seen it’s very nefarious indeed.
Imagine if your property values dropped because of Feng Shui becoming the new buzz-word / religion of choice? You’d be upset right? Well that’s what’s happening in NSW due to IPCC dramatic sea-level rise predictions, at least until this month where the State told the councils to do your own beach by beach research we can’t trust the IPCC anymore!
Sadly Jo we are. The second rescue ship is an Australian vessel – so guess who is paying for that!?
The ABC does a wonderful job covering rural and regional Australia, but it’s time it was stripped of any role in news and current affairs it is so biased.
Can’t they see how idiotic and completely unprofessional they look in trying to cover up this fiasco, which is of great public interest seeing as it’s financed by our taxes? They don’t seem to understand that they aren’t information gate-keepers any more.
You may not be aware that among the tourists (scientists?) are the leader’s wife and two children!
Wonder if they paid their contributions to the $1.5 m (and rising) cost of the exercise?
The SMH on Facebook has a discussion going on this stranded bunch of “tourists” where we are invited to comment…..
Thanks for exposing this Bill.
Here’s another good article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415191/And-global-COOLING-Return-Arctic-ice-cap-grows-29-year.html
Warmists caught in Antaarctic ice which they did not really think existed on the scale and depth they found.
What a delicious irony !
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise . . . . . ”
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God. . . . . . . “
Jo and Bill, I have asked on one of the blogs whether the politician(s?) have charged the cost of their journey as an allowable expense for a study trip.
Apparently the expedition funding provides that the non- scientists pay their own way – over $8000 is a figure I have seen quoted. No doubt the press contingent are being paid for by their employers – ABC, BBC, The Guardian.
Irony seems to be no stranger to the colder southern latitudes!
That “global warming” which is predicted in the final chapter of Peter’s second epistle is cosmic in its dimensions… the raging inferno of an entire universe under the sentence of the Judge of all the earth… Such a dire prognosis for the heavens and the earth is something sceptics and rationalists would doubtless claim beggars belief!
A group of global warming fanatics go to the south pole to prove the ice is melting, and end up stuck in an ever thickening ice field – You couldn’t make that up !! Absolutely Hilarious !!
The cost to the tax payer could be massive. Yes we work hard to pay for their adolescent fantasy missions.
“Who pays?
Anyone know what it costs to rent an icebreaker for a day?
If things get worse there is a bigger American icebreaker which is coming to restock an American Antarctic base, and could get there in a week or two. If things go seriously (but slowly) pear shaped, there is a Russian icebreaker called the Federov, a mere 28 days (and a gazillion roubles) away. Ponder the cost of unexpectedly diverting 3 – 5 boats and full crews to the end of the Earth in dangerous conditions to rescue a boatload of experts and documentary crew on a reenactment and “raising awareness” mission. They were trying to let the world know about melting ice but instead ended up singing songs on deck, and bragging about how much they are enjoying their adventure, while taxpayers probably foot most of the bill, real researchers lose valuable help and resources, and real sailors risk their lives trying to get them out. It’s a bit like the ultimate school leavers party for those who never grew up.
Australian taxpayers have paid for much of the $1.5m mission (by proxy though agents and are quaintly referred to as “supporters”) with help from UK, US and New Zealand taxpayers too. But who will cover the cost of the rescue? (Speaking of which, I discovered that if we were serious, there are even nuclear icebreakers around Russia which apparently cost $100,000 a day.)
Volunteers to pay weren’t coming forward with too many donations at the Spiritof Mawson site. As usual, much of the money for the grand adventure comes from coerced payments. And most of the people on board the Shokalskiy would probably say they like “free market” solutions. Right? (Except when they prefer forced ones.)
Who authorized the expedition? Was there a cost-benefit study? Who is responsible?”
http://joannenova.com.au/2014/01/shokalskiy-soap-opera-rescue-ship-stuck-too-climatologists-asks-skeptics-coleman-watts-for-weather-info/#more-32533
Genesis 8:22 While the earth remains, (in existence,) seedtime and harvest, and COLD and HEAT, and summer and WINTER,and day and night SHALL NOT CEASE.
There is plenty of evidence of climate change, today, but due to the Earth’s own groanings (Romans 8:22). We know it is happening. The global warming/cooling activists wish to point their fingers at humans (who they see as parasites on Earth). But, the reality is that scientists are finding ample evidence our earth’s magnetic poles are beginning to reverse again (like they have done past eons).
This pole reversal could be causing our very undulating jet stream patterns and migration confusion we are seeing with animals, fish and birds. To those who think mere humans can change the course of the earth’s groanings by their own intervention is the bane of foolishness.
There is only one person who can change the course of universe, our Almighty God, of course…but will he when so many people scoff at Him, today? This may truly be the beginning of the end…
Those of us in Christ have no need to worry, though. But as Bette Davis’ character in the movie, “All About Eve”, stated: “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.”
One of my university professors used to be on the IPCC. However, he quit after they put his name down as one of the authors of a report with conclusions he did not agree with. Reverse plagiarism?
Those scientist in 1988, which were already convinced that the CO2 rising levels were responsible for the global warming, surely have missed all their chemistry lessons they attended, or didn’t attend them at all.
Total of CO2 in the atmosphere: 0,039%
Man made CO2 in the atmosphere: irrelevant.
How come can irrelevant amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere be responsible for an exothermic reaction of global magnitude? That is the point!
It’s all a good reminder that scientists are sinful human beings and that some of them have always been prepared to be deceitful when it suits their own misguided ends. As for the media misreporting science, that’s a perennial problem too.
Thanks for this article. The same thing occurred to me when I heard the radio report saying the crew were ‘trapped in ice’. I suppose though it won’t be treated as an embarrassment. My feeling (and I don’t know much in this subject matter) with the climate change propaganda is there is a lot of circular reasoning. It feels as though every thing proves climate change. A dry winter = climate change, a cold winter = climate change. A unusually wet summer = climate change, a dry summer climate change. My guess is the ice caps will be equated with unusual weather patterns = climate change. The people on the Climate change agenda seem to bully those who know less in that area. If there is any skepticism you are labelled as someone who does not care about the environment which is unfair and ludicrous. I am more than certain among credible scientists, the data is not nearly as unanimous as the CC folk suggest. Right now Perth is experiencing a fairly mild summer compared to recent summers; what does this mean?
A few days ago when SA was experiencing a heat wave, which may still be going, I just don’t know, but the ABC commentator, rather than being concerned for the people having to endure such dreadful heat, said “fingers crossed, today could even see breaking the record of 50.7” as if he was longing for nothing more than the CCs predictions confirmed.
If the outcome of the Russian ship being stuck is people who have experienced first hand that truth might be found somewhere else than in the cc propaganda, then I think taxpayers money to rescue them is well spent. In any case, we rescue lone sailors bent on simply beating some record without considering cost and effort that would need to be expended in case of them needing help. On a smaller scale that to me is just as silly though certainly not as deceitful .
Trusting in God’s abundant ability and willingness to pay for all of our silly and misguided mistakes, he has certainly made up for a lot of mine we can afford to be generous while chuckling with grace I hope at their misguided passion.
Many blessings
Ursula Bennett
“…there are even nuclear icebreakers around Russia which apparently cost $100,000 a day”
NUCLEAR? NUCLEAR? Surely they would rather freeze to death than be rescued by a NUCLEAR powered ship.
Erm, wouldn’t they…….?