BPSDB potholer54 is back! and it’s a good one. Climate Change anatomy of a myth takes down the the “they predicted an ice age in the 1970s, so why should we believe them now” nonsense.
One of the things that potholer54 brings to the exposure of the lie is the evidence that the Deniers are not confused or mistaken, they are outright lying.
The sources from the 1970s that they cite as evidence talk about the scientific uncertainty about climate, not a scientific consensus on cooling. This is explored in much more detail with respect to George Will and the New York Times at The NYT’s climate coverage in 1970s was a megaphone for science, not ‘global cooling’ alarmism.
Penn and Teller, Inhofe and George Will, out and out lying (but then Will has been lying about climate for quite a while, see “Triumph of the Will-bashing“).
You can see potholer54’s other videos at potholer54’s Channel
A lot more debunking of this nonsense
Climate Denial Crock of the Week – I Love the 70s!!
- The Myth of the 1970s Global Cooling Scientific Consensus (paper is also available as a pdf here and here).
- Myth: They predicted global cooling in the 1970s – RealClimateWiki
- Myth: ‘They predicted global cooling in the 1970s’ Coby Beck
- Myth: They predicted global cooling in the 1970s New Scientist
- The global cooling myth
- Myth: Scientists predicted an impending ice age in the 1970’s
- A New Ice Age
- Was an imminent Ice Age predicted in the ’70’s? No ent.
- Killing the myth of the 1970s global cooling scientific consensus
- The myth of the 1970s global cooling scientific consensus
- even USA Today covered it: Study debunks ‘global cooling’ concern of ’70s
Speaking of George Will
Some updates on Will’s most recent piece of blatant lying about climate and the subsequent furor. It seems that the Washington post finally got around to admitting the lies (not errors) with the publication of two rebuttals
- Climate Change’s Myths and Facts (also here My Washington Post Answer to George Will)
- Climate Variations Don’t Invalidate the Reality of Global Warming
… sort of. As Climate Progress reports “Washington Post publishes two strong debunkings of George Will’s double dose of disinformation” ; ie they don’t actually admit the lie.
This half hearted non-retraction has had rated some comment
Meanwhile, a bunny alerted me that, caught red-handed in flagrant lying, Will himself did the honourable thing simply repeated the lies and piled on a few more. I was afraid I would have to debunk this one, but delay has spared me the effort as Tim Lambert “George Will lies like a rug” and Andy Siegel “Will Continues Will-Ful Deceit” stepped into the breach.
Additionally, here are some other posts about the Will Affair that I missed earlier:
- WaPo’s Ombudsman throws a sliver of bone to reality while ignoring the lion’s share of complaints re: Will’s falsehoods
- Ice, Ice Baby: When Fact-Checking Is Not Fact-Checking
- George Will and the Global Cooling Scare
- George Will, Washington Post Mount Defense Of Widely Debunked Editorial [UPDATED]
- And the Kick Line Continues…George Will is a Glutton for Punishment edition.
- WaPo’s Ombudsman throws a sliver of bone to reality while ignoring the lion’s share of complaints re: Will’s falsehoods « The Way Things Break
Since it is a given that we can expect more lies from Will over time, all of the above links will be added to George F. Will goes platinum; bookmark it now, avoid the rush 😉
We give our consent every moment that we do not resist.
Denier “Challenge” aka Deathwatch Update: Day 156 … still no evidence.
Who is potholer54?
he is obviously English or Australian??
I have heard the voice before.
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Thank you for the well done post. You might also be interested in a post I did last week which links to an entry in Grist on “How to Respond to a Climate Skeptic” at http://oakleighvermont.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-a-climate-change-skeptic This is a comprehensive breakdown of the nonsense strategies and fallacious arguments they use and how to respond to them.
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Potholer54 is one of the many counter-creationists on YouTube, well-known as the author of the Made Easy series which I highly recommend (they’re a spectacular introduction to complex scientific topics, such as abiogenesis). He’s only touched on climate change in the past, but he’s got three videos on the subject now that address it in a calm, collected, rational style (pulling no punches but admitting all uncertainties), and he hints at doing more on the subject.
His profile identifies himself as an Australian* journalist for 20 years (14 of which as a science correspondent), with formal training in geology. He mentions magazines as his main ‘beat’, but it’s possible that he showed up on television or radio briefly, which may explain where you’ve heard his voice before.
*Never tell an Australian he sounds British. They’re even touchier about it than comparing Canadians to Americans. The accent has a few telltale markers in it, but the biggest difference is speech patterns. Know the difference: It could save your life.
Brian.
You can’t read. His profile says:
“I’ve been a journalist for 20 years, 14 years as a science correspondent”
and
Occupation: Semi-retired TO sunny Australia.
That is, he moved to Australia.
I can’t find anything about Potholer54. Very unusual, i can usually find something.
I am pretty sure i have heard his voice before on UK TV.
Paul:
I’m posting from an iPod. Sue me. :p
To me his accent sounded Australian, and he never used the speech patterns I use to tell the odd cases apart. Since I listen for characteristic British modes of speech (not present in Australian dialects), I assumed he was Australian.
I’ve also made the mistake of confusing the two to an Aussie’s face. It wasn’t pleasant.
I agree his accent does sound Australian, but then when i lived in the West Midlands (UK) for 4 years I soon had a ‘Brummie’ accent.
It is possible i have heard his voice in reports from Australia and that he is Australian born and bred.
But it is also possible the Australian accent has merged with a posh Southern ‘BBC’ British accent.
The mystery will only be resolved if we know the name of the person.
[…] I came across this via another series by potholer54 which is on the science of climate change which was featured in this post at Greenfyre’s. […]
Thought I would come back to this problem.
Mystery of Potholer54 solved:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/mar/29/youtube-climate-change-scepticism
I think everyone was correct!
His name is Peter Hadfield and he did work for the BBC, which is how I recognised the voice. He also worked for New Scientist a UK magazine.
Moved to here.
S2
Let’s get back to the science of AGW.
All this froth is distracting B.S.
Thanks.
Sorry Hopeful. The science of AGW is one thing.
Facing up to the fact that people who disagree with you have been misled by others who are deliberately and repeatedly lying to them is another thing. An important one.
It’s not froth and the only BS is being manufactured and thrown by people who mean to do harm.