Lets All Get in Line—or Else

Here is Law Professor Ann Althouse talking about the recent kerfuffle in the UK over EMails from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, England.  While some are marking this leaking of EMails and other date to hacking, others suspect an inside job by a dissatisfied member of the staff.

In another [EMail], Jones and Mann discuss how they can pressure an academic journal not to accept the work of climate skeptics with whom they disagree. "Perhaps we should encourage our colleagues in the climate research community to no longer submit to, or cite papers in, this journal," Mann writes.

"I will be emailing the journal to tell them I'm having nothing more to do with it until they rid themselves of this troublesome editor," Jones replies.

A literary or historical illusion.  Brings to mind Henry II of England, referring to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas à Becket:

What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord.  Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest.

We know how Becket ended up.♠

But, back to climate change.  I am looking forward to seeing what comes out of Copenhagen next month.  We have two issues to reconcile.  One is climate change.  The other is the disparity in wealth between the West and the rest.  As long we were able to expand the world economy the second seemed to be taking care of itself.  Now, with climate change a serious problem, we may not be able to expand the global economy to meet the needs of all.

If climate change is a serious problem and we are going over the edge in a few years, then this is no time for half measures.  On the other hand, if it is not time for desperate measures, let us not talk like it is.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  OK, so we don't all know.  Inspired by their King, four knights took off for Canterbury and there slew Becket on the steps up to the Altar, while Vespers was in progress.