Thursday
Jan262012
by 
Josh
Josh Warm weather - Josh 142
Jan 26, 2012 Climate: Models Josh George Monbiot's hilarious article 'Do the weather forecasters used by the Daily Mail actually exist?' is well worth reading.
Although we know that weather is not climate (except when it is) one can't help but leap to a few conclusions.
Reader Comments (14)
Excellent article by Monbiot. Like a stopped clock, or a Met Office forecast, he’s capable of being spot on, from time to time. As when, immediately after Climategate 1, he said Phil Jones should resign, and that what CRU did was “not science”. Pity he then changed his mind.
Hmmmm...you think he is trying to cast doubt on anyone who ISN'T the MET Office as being unreliable? Surely not "stand up" George? He wouldn't do something as underhanded as that? Just like he would never outsource an argument against someone like Plinmer?!?!?
Mailman
The PWS website now (19.23, 24 January) says the following:
"Statement - 2.26 p.m. - Wednesday January 22nd 2012
"It is with regret that because of illness and the current economic climate, PWS has ceased trading.
"All outstanding winter contracts will be fulfilled with refunds given to our Wedding Bells clients.
"Thank you.
"Kind Regards,
PWS Team"
So, what have 'Weddng Bells' to do with weather?
Ron - I never got a forecast for my wedding, even though she said she wouldn't show if it was raining!!!
But you get the picture.
You can see a bit more of the PWS website if you Google and follow links to the back pages.
I notice that George doesn't dare criticise Piers Corbyn, or mention that the MO promised a cold winter!
Great cartoon, Josh - nicely nuanced (or should that be nuaged?)..
""Quite frankly, the filing system I have is a mess and I cannot put my hands of the information you require..."
Was that really a quote from Jonathan Powell of PWS? Looks more like a quote from Phil Jones of CRU/UEA.
Were they right more often than the Met?
George Monbiot is floundering Josh, which way to go when the anchor is in danger of being lost ?
Journalistic integrity exercise for today - which one of these people would George Monbiot choose to criticize and why?
Jonathan Powell: "Quite frankly, the filing system I have is a mess and I cannot put my hands of the information you require"
Phil Jones: " ...had a better filing system, then I would be able to find it..."
ZT - yep! Not a journalist so much as a jester. And like the king's fool sometimes speaks the truth but only when he knows it ain't gonna cause his head to roll.
We are just about to get Siberian weather,,,,,,,
I assume this Jonathan Powell is nothing to do with Bliar's ex-Chief of Staff?
Hate to say it, but George is right. If he hasn't "Hari-ed" the interview, it's a damn fine piece of journalism.
If only he'd point his investigative super-power at the Climategate inquiries - actually, he's probably the canary in the coal mine on that. When he turns against wind power, the Climategate coverups and the IPCC lack of openness, the end-game begins.
DDB - I wonder if damnfinesuperjournogeorge will ressurect his damnfinesuperChristopherBookerTrophy for the authors of the WSJ letter Bish reports, with each of the esteemed signatories receiving their own hyperlinked critique?:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2010/jan/21/christopher-booker-prize-climate-change-scepticism
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTo
Just to give him a head start with the hyperlinking here they are:
Claude Allegre, former director of the Institute for the Study of the Earth, University of Paris; J. Scott Armstrong, cofounder of the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting; Jan Breslow, head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University; Roger Cohen, fellow, American Physical Society; Edward David, member, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences; William Happer, professor of physics, Princeton; Michael Kelly, professor of technology, University of Cambridge, U.K.; William Kininmonth, former head of climate research at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Richard Lindzen, professor of atmospheric sciences, MIT; James McGrath, professor of chemistry, Virginia Technical University; Rodney Nichols, former president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences; Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne; Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator; Nir Shaviv, professor of astrophysics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Henk Tennekes, former director, Royal Dutch Meteorological Service; Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva.