At least he attracts good readers with interesting things to say - the comments are better:Mr. Perry, the governor of Texas, recently made headlines by dismissing evolution as “just a theory,” one that has “got some gaps in it” — an observation that will come as news to the vast majority of biologists. But what really got peoples’ attention was what he said about climate change: “I think there are a substantial number of scientists who have manipulated data so that they will have dollars rolling into their projects. And I think we are seeing almost weekly, or even daily, scientists are coming forward and questioning the original idea that man-made global warming is what is causing the climate to change.”
That’s a remarkable statement — or maybe the right adjective is “vile".
As an engineer and a one-time scientist I will tell you that all the admininstrations since Nixon have been anti-science. Oh, I forgot Reagan. He was big on defense science. His time was a boom period for those of us in toy development.
Ever since global warming and the end of cheap energy became obvious to scientist, corporations have been threatened by science. The first move to eliminate government funding of basic research began in 1972 under Nixon. This when the first warnings of the end of cheap oil and the effects of over-population and pollution came to light. A Rand Corporation white paper predicted how a rapid growth in population would produce dire consequences for human kind; that was 1969.
Corporations found it easier to turn down the volume by turning down the funding. That way, the average investor can stay fat, dumb and happy. Then, they started buying scientists to spin their own story. So, here we are with pseudo science to match the few who will speak up. Fortunately, there are more social-leaning governments in Europe to speak the truth.
Listen, the cheap oil started running out in 2003 when the Saudis lost one of their big reservoirs (background: Hubbert's Peak-wikapedia). The ACS published results showing that mercury contamination in fish caught in mountain streams match the levels in those raised in farms --- and, that level is near the danger threshhold. The temperature rise we are measuring annually will accelerate once the ice caps are melted year-round and this will happen in only a couple of dozen year --- and, it can't be reversed.
How do the rich benefit if the earth is over-populated, hungry, and in the dark. The rich always benefit. Look at Rome; you just climb higher over the corpses.
