A short pen portrait, such as might be found on the cover of a book, would help new readers of this well established blog to weigh comments appropriately. Clearly a geologist should be given more weight or authority when talking about rocks than your typical social science graduate.

This list is intended neither as a complete list, nor as an ordered list. New readers to the blog will be unaware of the background of the other posters. I think that is important information.

Clearly Andrew Montford himself needs to be acknowledged and thanked in so many ways for the immense efforts he has made for the cause, whatever that turns out to be, even though he no longer posts here himself. We all know he is here, looking over us, at least in spirit.

I had intended to provide a short pen sketch of each of the characters involved but, on reflection, I think it would be better for the authors themselves to do that.

I appreciate that in the real world you may choose not to provide sufficient information to be identifed. For those of you in employment this can be a sensitive issue.

I suggest that anybody who fails to provide their own pen portrait by say the 16th June 2020 may find that I will invite all blog readers to submit their well judged pen portaits of such posters.

Any description provider by the author themselves, however defective, I suggest should be allowed to stand. I'll start things off with me.

Iantanyrallt.
A retired University lecturer and administrator. Used to lecture about recurring Ice Ages and Inter-Glacials so is obviously rather cynical about Anthropogenic Global Warming, now called climate change, being caused just by man-made CO2. Not woke or Politically Correct. Used to play golf and cricket and run a village cricket team. Drinks beer and red wine. Is overweight. Has grand-children. Will self identify as a disabled, black lesbian if it helps with Tesco deliveries. Banned from Grosvenor Casinos worldwide. Banned by the Apostrophe Protection Society for trying to start a Vigilante sub-group. Means well. Available 24/7.

This was tried before with some of us (but only a relative few) providing brief personal histories. This illustrates the problem of using the Discussion format. Unless someone adds to it, it will sink down the list, then out of sight and become buried.
I agree your suggestion would be useful and would update/modify my original contribution (if it could be found).

But now things are quieter here it is not going to sink very fast.

Also I bet the previous attempt did not include the threat that I would write the pen portrait for them! That is a powerful incentive. Someone in Truro will be rather thoughtful that this has no happy ending for them. Indeed I will be very interested to read any troll entries. The Phil Clarke team will have a tough job too.

Oh, look, back at the top of the list again!

:)

Wot M Courtney said.

There is one small area where a knowledge of a blogger’s particulars ought to be better known, and that is their sex, if only so we might properly address them if replying, This only applies to those who use a “nom de blog” like tinyCO2. I don’t wish to offend and so constantly have to recast sentences to avoid potential offence when replying to him/her.
Of course another old crusty whose X and Y chromosomes are in doubt are those of Golf Charlie. Some years ago two of us believed a crinolined lady hid behind that nom-de-blog that we christened “Gwen”. He/She will still reply to this monicker.

Whatever happened to "Supertroll"? Is she OK?

May 17, 2020 at 7:31 AM AK

..... and Entropic Man, based on the merest snippet of evidence became convinced. Standard practice in Climate Science.

Where is my petard?

AK

I have hoisted it here. I can see it over the end of the yardarm.

Ian there is a odd feature about my old nom-de-blog supertroll. Fed up with having my views miscast as being troll-like I fully adopted the role and adopted my imposed roll by assuming the moniker of supertroll. All here knew what I had done, in fact a few refused to accept my rebranding, continuing to address me as Alan. Once I judged Supertroll was no longer required, I dropped it as some found it offensive (sorry Tiny). It had served its purpose.

BTW I have tried to be as supportive to your proposal as possible. I still don’t believe the “discussion” is the correct vehicle but, if there were more support, perhaps our host might offer a different category. Sadly there are significant contributors here who are opposed to the whole idea. I once assembled, for my own use, information assembled from clues sprinkled in people’s written material. Unfortunately these snippets were lost during a house move,

The reason why I took a clear fake name as opposed to my real name or one that looked real and why I only reveal details about me when it suits me is that the receiver changes their judgement of what they read based on what they know, or think they know. I chose the name partly because it could belong to a warmist. I wanted their side to listen with an open mind. Amusingly sceptics sometimes react to the name and jump to conclusions, assuming that I'm a warmist. Part of the way people deal with masses of contacts is to pigeon hole others. People develop caricatures - Tories, Labour, men, women, white, black, Moslem, Christian, Millennial, Baby Boomer, warmist, denier, sceptic, etc. One of the things that we all seem to agree on is that politics can't be divided into left and right because people break ranks on different subjects. Look how the last election fractured all the parties over Brexit and Remain but in some cases the vote was cast to see that democracy (the Referendum) was respected, regardless of personal preference to remain in the EU. The Lib Dems didn't see that coming.

I accept that when talking about a subject, it would seem to help if the other person disclosed that they were an expert but is that always true? I've heard specialist doctors admit that some of their patients know more about their condition and new developments than they do. The patient lives through it and is more motivated than the doctor. Would you rate a climate scientist over a statistics expert or a weather man?

I refused to call AK 'Supertroll' because it was a challenge. He felt that he'd been pigeon holed because of his career at UEA but frankly the only times I remember are when he reminds us and I don't demonise the uni anyway. I did see some of his comments as that of a lecturer chiding his young students. Had I not known he was a lecturer I would have assumed it was because he thought age had brought him greater wisdom and the right to correct us... based on knowing he was older than me. You see? The more we know about a person, the more we try to fit what people write to the preconceptions we have of that 'type'.

UEA

I did reveal to AK that I was offered a temporary lectureship in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia in 1978. It may well be that one of my children has earned more than one post-graduate degree from UEA and I have actually been shown around the Climate Research Unit by Phil Jones personally.

I do not recall AK or myself saying bad things about the University of East Anglia overall.

I do recall AK declaring that he felt that he represented a minority viewpoint amongst the current academic staff.

I recall the tale of a famous Hollywood film director who struggled both with excessive swearing and with speaking in English. I think David Niven quoted him memorably as saying "You guys think I know **ck nothing; but I know **ck all". It may be that I have not declared my whole life history.

I addressed this thread as a brief guide for the innocent newcomer. It was made clear from the beginning that the level of information disclosed was up to the individual author to decide and I implicitly and explicitly made it clear that people in honest employment should NOT give sufficient information to allow their real identity and contact details to be discovered.

I don't mind admitting to some info that I've already divulged on here in the past.

Early retired solicitor, ex-Labour party member, keen hill-walker and outdoors enthusiast, frustrated with people who claim to be left-wing while actively supporting big business and making the poor worse off, in the name of "saving the planet", ditto actively supporting the EU's role as big business' play area actively making the poor worse off, ditto people who claim to be environmentalists actively supporting the trashing of the planet in the name of saving it.

Not always frustrated - happiest when on a hill, and delighted that I can get back to climbing hills again, albeit not yet in Scotland or Wales.

I note with some degree of amusement that tinyCO2 still keeps even the most basic information about him/herself hidden, whilst, with full knowledge of my background, is willing to employ that to explain away my sometimes assertive style of argumentation. This came to an absolute head, when, having visited my old department at UEA and spoken to old colleagues I brought knowledge of even the threat of Brexit already causing future potential collaborators in Europe to pull out of future joint submissions if British participants were to be involved - only to be accused of making it all up. I left that particular discussion in absolute disgust. I had learned a valuable lesson, assertions from me are lecturing, whereas assertions from others, particularly if supporting an acceptable political or other view, are OK.

AK, we choose to reveal what we choose and then deal with the consequences. My point being that you chose to reveal where you had worked and then didn't like how some people reacted to it. You felt that all UEA staff and the institution were unfairly smeared here because of the actions of the few. Not true. Some of us never did that and others had their reasons. You regularly thow out comments based on something written by an individual and accuse us all of thinking that way. I dont even agree with everything I write, all the time.

"I brought knowledge of even the threat of Brexit already causing future potential collaborators in Europe to pull out of future joint submissions if British participants were to be involved" and I would have believed you. I don't necessarily care, but I do believe you. Whether I care depends upon what they were collaborating on, who was paying and what we as a society would have got out of it. I think the University sector as a whole needs major reforms.

For those who prefer their anonymity I'm sure that they won't object if you assume that they're the average visitor to the site and refer to them that way.

Tiny, still amused.

For those who prefer their anonymity I'm sure that they won't object if you assume that they're the average visitor to the site and refer to them that way.

May 17, 2020 at 1:54 PM TinyCO2

I always thought "average" was a simple concept, but everything in Climate Science is always above average, particularly their drain on incomes, taxpayers and developing countries.

My Philosphy by Iantanyrallt

Edited and reposted from Unthreaded

This is not a religious tract. I am not trying to convert anybody. Think of the religious parallel – you are usually wasting your breath or wearing out your finger-tips in trying to convert someone. Think of having a one to one conversation with Greta Thunberg and expecting her to change her worldview at all. It ain’t going to happen.

I am now 66 years old. I can always claim old age as an explanation or as an excuse. I am not woke. I am not Politically Correct. I am now retired so I cannot lose my job. My children have grown up, been educated and fled the nest.

I fully understand that folk in proper jobs cannot allow their scepticism on climate to be associated with their chosen persona on this blog. I made that clear when I created the discussion thread. If some folk cannot are unhappy with their real or their on line lives that is an unhappy situation.

I have identified, but not outed, in a follow up comment two of the most egregious trolls that tried to suck life out of this excellent community. I am seeking to progress things in a positive and do not accept “no platforming” as a civilised way forward.

To clarify where I am coming from I will share some thoughts and wry comments which chime with me.

I suspect that other people look at the world differently. That is a good thing and this variety of skills, knowledge and methods of communication is one of the features that is often shown on this blog.

I have worked on H & S issues and computing, but not at a level where I feel my views should be given any credit.

• Increasing atmospheric CO2 is not the sole cause of climate change
• “No Platforming” is often because they cannot win a fair debate with the speaker.
• If I got to run a Climate Advisory panel I, too, would manipulate the attendees by giving them a one sided briefing to get the results I wanted. Or maybe I would “play fair” and allow both sides to input their views.
• Do no harm.
• It may be that your life is simply to provide a warning to others.
• Your “good idea” is likely not an original one. If you manage to develop this good idea into an action or product, then that is something that you can claim as your own and be proud of it, even if it is not successful.
• Get a receipt. It will help.
• You can learn from history.
• Don’t take life too seriously. Lighten up, it may never happen.
• If you have left a feeling of doubt, fear and despondency then your work there is done.
• Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
• If you don’t like my principles, I have others. (Groucho Marx)
• Don’t write long replies on the live blog; use a word-processor then cut and paste.
• Put your underwear on BEFORE your trousers. You are NOT Superman.
• Autocorrect and autocomplete are NOT always your friends. A few moments looking at what has actually been written are always moments well spent.
• Take a deep breath every so often
• Nobody lies on their deathbed and declares “I wish I had spent more time cleaning.”
• If you choose to enter a child’s room to check that they are sleeping. They were. (Billy Connolly)
• If it aint broke, don’t fix it.
• KISS – Keep it Simple, Stupid
• When all else fails, read the instructions.
• Murphy was an optimist
• I haven’t failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work. (Thomas Edison)
• At the opera, they don’t like it if you join in.
• You are not neurotic, they are out to get you.

Books I have benefitted from : Catch 22, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Hockey Stick Illusion, The Art of War, The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Lost Worlds by Michael Bywater.

Role Models (Again not intended to be an exhaustive list.) Homer Simpson, Dilbert.

Favourite Music Genre – Folk Rock

Politicians I admire. -

Be kind to each other.

Take care out there.

I have "accidentally" discovered Phil Clarke's identity. This, and that of a couple of others, was left visible on the tails of a forwarded e-mail.

Do I share this information?

Brainless, do NOT share your info.

PC is a turd. Avoid turds.

Brainless, no. Unless someone has done something illegal or highly immoral, then even even warmists are entitled to anonymity if they want it. Even though I know his name, I still refer to ATTP as ATTP.

Brainless - if you are implying that I am using a false name, you are not correct. If you have information on someone of a different name, then it is not me.

Publishing personal communications without permission is of course immoral.

Publishing personal communications without permission is of course immoral.

May 20, 2020 at 1:12 PM Phil Clarke

That must be why you published M Courtney's first name.

Publishing personal communications without permission is of course immoral.
May 20, 2020 at 1:12 PM Phil Clarke

US Democrats gave General Flynn's name to the press.