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CONSEQUENCES UNPLEASANT

Leftist Alexander Cockburn gains an understanding:

Since I started writing essays challenging the global warming consensus and seeking to put forward critical alternative arguments, I have felt like the object of a witch-hunt. One individual who was once on the board of the Sierra Club has suggested I should be criminally prosecuted ...

This experience has given me an understanding of what it must have been like in darker periods to be accused of being a blasphemer, of the summary and unpleasant consequences that can bring. There is an element of witch-hunting in climate catastrophism.

You don’t say! Looks like Alexander’s joined the many who can’t get no respect. Speaking of whom, eco-sceptical Ian McEwan was recently censored by the Age - which has a history of deleting unwelcome information.

Posted by Tim B. on 03/23/2008 at 02:44 PM
  1. The missing sentences do not appear anywhere else in The Age’s version of the essay. The attribution reads: “Copyright Ian McEwan 2008” and there is no acknowledgment of editing by The Age.

    Why did the paper decide to offer its readers McEwan lite? Was he, I wonder, consulted on the matter? And isn’t there a nice irony that The Age chose to delete the line about ideologues not being very good at “absorbing inconvenient fact”?

    Why yes. It is giving my replacement PACO Global Enterprises “new and improved” Irony Meter™ quite a workout. A “stress test” right out of the box.

    Posted by Spiny Norman on 2008 03 23 at 03:02 PM • permalink

  2. Leftist Cranky and bitter old Stalinist Alexander Cockburn gains an understanding:

    Minor correction.

    Posted by Spiny Norman on 2008 03 23 at 03:05 PM • permalink

  3. Proof that what goes around comes around.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2008 03 23 at 03:32 PM • permalink

  4. Interesting. This man is in a difficult position. He is still a leftist and snidely slams “CORPORATIONS” for jumping on the global warming bandwagon yet states categorically that the left has opted for global warming catastrophe as an excuse for their statist takeover of the economy and society.

    So, he is half-way to heaven, and still with one foot in socialist ideological hell.

    Perhaps his personal experience of the progrom witch hunt will help him along.

    Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 03 23 at 05:41 PM • permalink

  5. Slight tangent: While I support the sentiment in that linked song, it just goes to show that 99% of country music is poo.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 23 at 05:42 PM • permalink

  6. Well, I quite enjoyed this song. Classic country formula. When I hear a country song, I expect sentiment, not Handel or Beethoven. And Gretchen is pretty :^)

    Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 03 23 at 05:50 PM • permalink

  7. The problem is that too many people have been too well brainwashed and will not accept any different opinion to that spun by the believers.

    They seem to have given up the power of their own thought.

    Posted by kae on 2008 03 23 at 05:55 PM • permalink

  8. Wimpy, try this on for size - some Junior Brown, yeehaw!

    My Wife Thinks You’re Dead

    And here’s some John Prine with Iris DeMent:

    ”...caught him once he was sniffin’ my undies…”

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 23 at 06:03 PM • permalink

  9. Now Alexander needs to develop a little sympathy for the intelligence and courage of all the anti-communists persecuted in gulags on behalf of an ideology he still blindly advances.

    Posted by Barrie on 2008 03 23 at 06:03 PM • permalink

  10. #8 Abu Chowdah

    I love that goofy song!

    You’re wanted by the po-leece…

    Sounds like my ex (more than one, actually - yikes!). No more head cases. This “knight” has hung up his “shining armor” for good.

    Posted by Spiny Norman on 2008 03 23 at 06:14 PM • permalink

  11. I’m sure Media Watch will be all over the Age thing.

    Posted by mr creosote on 2008 03 23 at 06:33 PM • permalink

  12. first line:

    “Although the world’s climate is on a warming trend, there is zero evidence that the rise in carbon dioxide levels has anthropogenic origins”

    There is also scant evidence that carbon dioxide is causing the warming. Carbon dioxide’s putative link to both the ultimate cause (us) and the effect (warming) is dubious.
    I keep pushing alarmists on the second one, but they rarely take the bait. If they do, it will be to show you that old chart they always show, the one with temperature and CO2 both going up over the 20th century. My response: “That’s it? That’s the whole case against carbon dioxide?”
    You can’t get them to debate. All you get in response are haughty claims that the debate is already over. They’re all convinced by a theory that they don’t understand.

    Posted by daddy dave on 2008 03 23 at 06:36 PM • permalink

  13. They’re all convinced by a theory that they don’t understand.

    What was your first clue?

    Posted by moptop on 2008 03 23 at 06:56 PM • permalink

  14. Look on the bright side: it is already harder than it was a year ago to brush off sceptics and critics as mere cranks.  I don’t think we’ve reached the tipping point that Christopher Pearson proclaims, but we are winning.  However, even if omniscient aliens came to earth tomorrow and proved beyond doubt that humans are not causing climate change, the vast government machinery already in place would grind on for years.  Even a sensible paper like The Australian runs Pearson’s piece alongside editorials on tweaking the details of Ross Garnaut’s carbon trading scheme.

    Posted by cuckoo on 2008 03 23 at 07:11 PM • permalink

  15. Garnaut has laid the framework for the complete and utter destruction of a first world economy. Mark my words, your super fund will be some of the first useful idiots to invest your hard-earned into these schemes. With recent changes to super law, it would be prudent for those able to do so to go down the Self-managed Super Fund route, and avoid being tanked by wilful fund-managing idiots playing social scientist with other people’s money.

    Posted by CB on 2008 03 23 at 07:27 PM • permalink

  16. #14

    I hope you’re right and I like Christoper Pearson but I was surprised by his optimism almost to the point of naivety.

    Two things, first these AGW cultists will stop at nothing to protect their reputations. Too much face to lose for too much material loss. Eg Flannery not being able to fly first class around the planet anymore.
    Marohasy herself is regularly attacked on her blog with character smears.

    Second, as KAE pointed out, once a person ingrains a belief and internally stakes their pride on it such as the drones who buy carbon credits or will take part in Earth hour, it is almost impossible to change that belief even over a long period of time especially if the lies are still being told as in point one.

    On the upside, at least more and more voices of reason are getting heard but this will be a long process.

    Posted by mindfree on 2008 03 23 at 07:30 PM • permalink

  17. The SMH editorial today is still fairly positive about Guano’s stance, while recognising emerging political problems. These problems do nothing to deter the SMH, and certainly don’t lead to any questioning of the whole GW fiasco.
    “Professor Garnaut is suggesting ways we may handle the challenge well. His study deserves the closest attention”
    It’s a pity the faulty basis of GW panic does not get the same close attention from Fairfax or the ABC, or most other info-tainment collectives.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2008 03 23 at 07:55 PM • permalink

  18. Socialism,Communism they just didn’t work, so why not try and undermine capitalism with a few scary weather reports.  Snotty greens.

    Posted by Howzat on 2008 03 23 at 08:05 PM • permalink

  19. If the amusingly named Alexander Cockburn doesn’t believe in Global Warming then I’m afraid that this is the strongest evidence yet that it is for real.

    Posted by Ross on 2008 03 23 at 08:49 PM • permalink

  20. Criminally prosecuted?  Don’t forget Canadian wack job David Suzuki.

    And now B.C.‘s very own David Suzuki, a Companion of the Order of Canada, wants to throw politicians who question his climate-change thesis in prison.

    The celebrity scientist dropped the bombshell while addressing an audience at McGill University. He urged students to seek ways to incarcerate elected officials who are “committing a criminal act by ignoring science.”

    This was no slip of the tongue. According to the National Post, he said very much the same thing during a speech at the University of Toronto last month.
    Both ludicrous and dangerous, it’s this type of talk that causes many to wonder just how legitimate the science in this area actually is.

    Canada has a picture of a loon on its money.  Maybe they should put Suzuki’s picture on the money.

    Posted by Mystery Meat on 2008 03 23 at 09:47 PM • permalink

  21. So, he is half-way to heaven, and still with one foot in socialist ideological hell.

    Mr. Cockburn is finding out that you can’t serve two masters.

    Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2008 03 23 at 10:06 PM • permalink

  22. I have decided that on March 29, around 8 pm or so, I’m going to be celebrating “Enlightment Hour” in honor of all the heroes of the Enlightenment who set us on the road to modern society.  How best to celebrate that hour, I wondered.  Why, by turning on all my lights, of course.  How perfect.  I can’t wait until March 29, when even my car headlights will be burning, to light the way to a future of reason and rationality.  If, coincidentally, it helps to drive back the encroaching darkness of climate irrationality cultism through the miracle of electric light, so much the better.

    Posted by kcom on 2008 03 23 at 10:33 PM • permalink

  23. kcom: I’ll pay that - that’s a great idea.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 23 at 10:52 PM • permalink

  24. #22 I too will celebrate Enlightenment Hour.
    The heroes of the Enlightenment have been neglected of late, and this is a chance to correct the balance.

    Posted by daddy dave on 2008 03 23 at 10:56 PM • permalink

  25. #20 ‘Both ludicrous and dangerous, it’s this type of talk that causes many to wonder just how legitimate the science in this area actually is.’

    I wish it did.  On the other hand, Suzuki has spent 25 years [at least] being feted and paid by rich people, and people like our ABC, for his extremist rhetorical cant.
    That doesn’t encourage any confidence now GW is all the rage.

    Posted by Barrie on 2008 03 23 at 11:00 PM • permalink

  26. I’ll be overseas for Earth Hour but the wife plans to turn on all our Christmas Lights on. Yeah, they’re still up.
    But here’s a good one. Doesn’t mean anything of course.

    Posted by ooh honey honey on 2008 03 23 at 11:10 PM • permalink

  27. Claud Cockburn British communist fathered Alexander.

    Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 03 23 at 11:34 PM • permalink

  28. #9, it looks like that’s exactly what he’s doing.  Plus he’s old, so ahmina cut him some slack.  Most folks stop learning new stuff at a much younger age.
    Does Cockburn have a following among the current generation of leftist airheads?  If so, will they follow him along this new path, or turn on him like ill-trained hyenas?

    Posted by formerly Huck Foley on 2008 03 23 at 11:52 PM • permalink

  29. #16

    once a person ingrains a belief and internally stakes their pride on it such as the drones who buy carbon credits or will take part in Earth hour, it is almost impossible to change that belief even over a long period of time especially if the lies are still being told as in point one.

    Yeah, but then here’s Alexander Cockburn, showing that it’s possible.  I’m liking this story.

    Posted by formerly Huck Foley on 2008 03 23 at 11:54 PM • permalink

  30. #8 Dag!  That Junior, he’s sump’n!  Him ‘n’at mutant GIT-tar of his!  He build that hisself or what?

    Posted by formerly Huck Foley on 2008 03 24 at 12:00 AM • permalink

  31. #22 kcom

    I have decided that on March 29, around 8 pm or so, I’m going to be celebrating “Enlightment Hour” in honor of all the heroes of the Enlightenment who set us on the road to modern society.  How best to celebrate that hour, I wondered.  Why, by turning on all my lights, of course.

    Oh, that’s perfect. I’m marking my calendar at this very moment.

    Posted by Spiny Norman on 2008 03 24 at 12:47 AM • permalink

  32. While I support the sentiment in that linked song, it just goes to show that 99% of country music is poo.

    Merle and Junior Brown hardly represent 99%. One hasn’t had a hit in 40 years and the other’s a novelty act.

    This is more typical: Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean.

    Posted by lyle on 2008 03 24 at 01:32 AM • permalink

  33. Lyle:

    I’m confused… are you trying to prove that typical country music is poo? Because that’s the only reason I’d put those two up. You want you some REK or Cory Morrow. None of that Nashville drek.

    Posted by brett_l on 2008 03 24 at 02:25 AM • permalink

  34. #33 brett

    To each his own.

    My point is, Chesney and Aldean are typical of contemporary Country. And if you can’t recognize skilled songwriting - well, as I said, to each his own.

    Posted by lyle on 2008 03 24 at 02:57 AM • permalink

  35. #30:

    The great American band leader John Philip Sousa had a special instrument built when he couldn’t get the sound he wanted from a helicon, which is a cousin of the tuba. That’s how we got the sousaphone.Junior Brown pulled a Sousa when he decided to invent his own instrument - the guit-steel. It’s a custom-made, double-necked stringed instrument that’s part electric guitar and part lap-steel guitar. No else has one.

    Quote found here.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 02:57 AM • permalink

  36. #34. Chesney and Aldean are very typical. Snooze.

    Jnr Brown is a terrific musician and songwriter. What’s not to like? John Prine is also a terrific songwriter - “Angel from Montgomery” anyone?

    “And if you can’t recognize skilled songwriting - well, as I said, to each his own.”

    Back atcha.

    Lucinda Williams is another one who’s great and doesn’t sit in that hokey MOR country or alt.country bag.

    Mind you, I’m more a jazz cat mahself. Give me the Complete Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard or Stanley Turrentine with the Three Sounds, or maybe a little funky blues... I like my music to swing, baby.

    Okay, sorry for the tangent.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 03:17 AM • permalink

  37. Abu,

    Did I write that Junior, Lucinda, Prine, or DeMent aren’t good songwriters?

    When you improve your reading, you’ll be better equipped to discuss writing. They’re all fine writers.

    No wonder you switched to Jazz. You want to write about something you know instead of something you don’t.

    Posted by lyle on 2008 03 24 at 03:32 AM • permalink

  38. My apologies - I thought you were holding Chesney and Aldean up as examples of good country music. I appear to have got the wrong end of the stick.

    I’ll work on my reading if you’ll promise to work on precision and clarity in your writing - I’m clearly not the only one who found it hard to discern your position on this occasion.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 03:45 AM • permalink

  39. Lyle and Mr. Chowdah; Gentlemen, I do hope we can reconcile our differences amicabally? I offer my services as second in this matter.

    Posted by dean martin on 2008 03 24 at 03:59 AM • permalink

  40. It’ll be more like the duel in Love & Death

    . I’ll play the Woody Allen character.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 04:03 AM • permalink

  41. oops

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 04:06 AM • permalink

  42. Abu,

    To repeat: I was using Shiftwork and Hicktown as examples of typical mainstream Country. And yes, I think they are well-written popular songs.

    My point, again, is that Merle Haggard is 30 years past his prime and, as far as I know, hasn’t had a record contract in decades. It’s hard to see why any informed person would choose him to prove that ‘99% of country music is poo.’

    Nearly every other singer or songwriter mentioned, from Robert Earl Keen to John Prine to Lucinda Williams, have small but appreciative Folk-Country followings. They are fine writers but there is a reason their appeal is limited.

    Is this where I’m supposed to name some niche performers in order to prove some adolescent point? I’ll pass. It only seems to me that before you pronounce 99% of any musical genre as ‘poo’, you should be familiar with 99% of it. Or let’s say, 50%.

    (Also, it wasn’t my impression that brett was actually confused. If you’ll re-read carefully, he was being sarcastic.)

    I get the distinct sense that others have grown impatient. So, let’s get back to Alexander Cockburn and his record-shattering score on the Irony Meter.

    Posted by lyle on 2008 03 24 at 04:40 AM • permalink

  43. I hate to drag this out, but who mentioned Merle Haggard? I mentioned John Prine.

    Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 03 24 at 05:33 AM • permalink

  44. OK, everybody, I’ll see your Merle, Prine and Chesney and raise you Joe Nichols’ Tequila makes her clothes fall off.

    Posted by Crossie on 2008 03 24 at 08:35 AM • permalink

  45. Real country music ... or is it folk?

    Cheers

    Posted by J.M. Heinrichs on 2008 03 24 at 10:49 PM • permalink

  46. #35 Abu’s quote:

    Junior Brown pulled a Sousa when he decided to invent his own instrument - the guit-steel. It’s a custom-made, double-necked stringed instrument that’s part electric guitar and part lap-steel guitar. No else has one.

    I’ve liked Junior ever since “Guit With It” (1993) but never bothered to look that up, thanx.  Dude’s a regular Brian May, at least in this one respect.  [google google google]  Actually, turns out, he’s even more unique than Dr. May, since copies of “the Red Special” are now commercially available.
      Dag gone but these interweb thingies is educational!

    Posted by formerly Huck Foley on 2008 03 26 at 03:33 PM • permalink

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