IntenseDebate - Scott Mandia

12 years ago @ St. Thomas Magazine - St. Thomas Magazine : ... · 0 replies · +30 points

Dr. John Abraham has consistently shown us all how to be an effective and polite science communicator. John is one of my heroes and I am sure I am not alone in that regard.

12 years ago @ Commentary Magazine - Conservatives and Clim... · 0 replies · +8 points

Landing on the moon was certainly a big challenge and we did that!
Fixing the ozone hole was a big problem and we did that!
Solving acid rain was a big problem and we did that!

America is great because when we are faced with a challenge and especially with a threat, we collectively take action and we usually do quite well. The energy revolution is akin to the Internet revolution. I want America to take the lead. If we do, we create jobs, we sell products to China instead of buying them, we have cleaner air and water, greater national security, and energy savings put money directly into our pockets.

Metaphor:

It is the Olympics and the event is the Clean Energy Race. The US track team has always won the big events before and appears to be in the best shape to win again. (Mention the three “we did that’s” above.) However, after the starting gun has fired, the American runner is just jogging while China, India, and others are sprinting. Don’t you want the American to win? There is still time for her to step it up but the window of opportunity is getting shorter every year because she is falling farther and farther behind.

12 years ago @ Commentary Magazine - Conservatives' Warming... · 0 replies · +1 points

Point of fact: It was conservative pollster Fred Luntz who reframed "global warming" as "climate change" during the Bush Administration. Here is what card-carrying Republican scientists are telling you:
http://earththeoperatorsmanual.com/broadcast_info (Video from a card-carrying Republican climate scientist)
http://bbickmore.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/how-to-... (Ditto)

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 0 replies · +1 points

I agree. I do not think President Shepard is totally up to speed on what we are speaking about here however, as I posted later, the Geology Dept. faculty are discussing this and agree with Gareth. My hope is that President Shepard gets the correct message from them. My further hope is that the WWU Geology faculty issue a public statement about Dr. Easterbrook which supports Gareth's analysis. I think that if the Dept. as a group contacts the NY Times or other major news outlet, the story would get printed. Dr. Easterbrook has been a media darling and needs to be exposed.

My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 0 replies · +1 points

I have received communication from the UWA Geology Dept. faculty and they appear to agree with Gareth and not with Easterbrook.

Scott A. Mandia, Professor of Physical Sciences
Selden, NY
Global Warming: Man or Myth?
My Global Warming Blog
Twitter: AGW_Prof
"Global Warming Fact of the Day" Facebook Group
My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 0 replies · +3 points

Dr. Easterbrook also responded to me directly (and to all) because of the CC: from President Shepard. He simply attached the same .pdf file linked in Gareth’s opening sentence which, of course, does not address the concerns we are discussing. My reply to Dr. Easterbrook and to all appears in the link below:
http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/global_warmin...
My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 0 replies · +3 points

My reply to him and to Dr. Easterbrook appears below:

Dear Colleagues,

In the words of the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."

Science progresses from intellectual conversation but that conversation must be based on fact and not willful deceit. I think your concern of mediocrity pales in comparison to the potential damage caused by dishonesty dressed up as science. Dr. Easterbrook was contacted by others and he did respond so I did not believe it was necessary to contact him. You have a loose canon on your ship and I alerted you. What you do now is certainly not up to me.

Dr. Easterbrook did reply and I will respond to him (and to all) in the next message. I do appreciate that you took time out of your day to reply to me when you could just have easily deleted the message.
My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 2 replies · +3 points

I heard back from WWU President Bruce Shepard and he CC:ed Dr. Easterbrook. I view email exchanges as private so I will not post his reply here. However, I can summarize his concerns.

1) He is worried that there may not be enough intellectual controversy and that we may be achieving consensus with political attacks vs. intellectual debates which he believes will lead to academic rigidity and, ultimately, mediocrity.
2) He questioned why I did not contact Dr. Easterbrook.
3) He directed me to his latest post at http://www.wwu.edu/president/blog/posts/8.shtml and I concur with his sentiments as described in that post.
My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 0 replies · +2 points

The message it sends is that some of us will no longer put up with deceit. We have ignored the lies and misrepresentation for too long thinking that the general public would see through the pseudo-science of the denialosphere.

Climategate, in the long run, will do more to hurt the Watts, Moranos, Inhofes, Cuccinellis, etc. than it did to climate scientists in the short run. It woke up the climate scientists and now they are fighting back outside of their ivory towers.

Easterbrook will have to think twice before committing fraud next time if he knows that he will be publicly outed. Gareth, keep up the pressure.
My recent post Offsetting the Fear of Flying

13 years ago @ Hot Topic - Whose lie is it anyway... · 22 replies · +5 points

[cont.]
http://hot-topic.co.nz/cooling-gate-easterbrook-f... http://hot-topic.co.nz/cooling-gate-the-100-years... http://hot-topic.co.nz/cooling-gate-easterbrook-d... http://hot-topic.co.nz/whose-lie-is-it-anyway-eas... http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2010/05/don_easte...

Perhaps one of you can convince him to correct his presentation and issue a public apology in order to preserve the name of his former University?

Sincerely,

Scott A. Mandia, Professor of Physical Sciences, Asst. Chair
T-201 Smithtown Sciences Bldg., S.C.C.C.
533 College Rd., Selden, NY 11784
631-451-4104
mandias@sunysuffolk.edu http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/

If you wish to do the same the contact info appears below:

WWW: Office of the President Contacts: http://www.wwu.edu/president/Staff.shtml
WWU: Office of the Provost Contacts: http://www.wwu.edu/provost/affairs/staff.shtml
WWU Geology Dept. Chair: http://geology.wwu.edu/dept/faculty/babcock.html

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